


Convenience

by espioc



Category: The Transformers (IDW Generation One), Transformers - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Arranged Marriage, Angst with a Happy Ending, Attempted Murder, Depression, Healthy Relationships, M/M, Mentions of past abuse, Rated M for Themes, Slow Burn, Unhealthy Relationships, but dont worry, improper use of medication in chapter 9, mental breakdowns, mention of sticky sexual interfacing but they never do it, mutual pinin eventually, not friends to friends to good friends, one instance of fingering but its brief and non-sexual, political corruption, starscream breaking things, starscream hates wheeljack in the beginning, they start to like eachother
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-27
Updated: 2020-04-16
Packaged: 2021-02-26 05:06:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 33,894
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21987868
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/espioc/pseuds/espioc
Summary: Two states are prepared to wage war if they cannot come to an impasse. Their solution? A union between the two most influential families from each side. Starscream gets the short end of the stick when he's chosen out of a dozen brothers to be married off by his state.He hardly knows the mech's name, but he's sure he hates him, their new house, and everything that's expected of them. After a few unfortunate incidents, Starscream slowly starts to realize that the person who he was forced to take as his conjux is hardly what he was expecting. They soon come to realize they have a common goal.Get out. And get away.
Relationships: Starscream & Wheeljack, Starscream/Wheeljack
Comments: 33
Kudos: 120





	1. The Wedding

**Author's Note:**

> Guess who needs to start a new ongoing? 
> 
> Not me, but here we are.

The fork made a horrible sound.

A screech. High pitched and irritated.

Starscream gripped it, pinched between two fingers that threatened to make dents. He pressed the prongs flat against the fine steel.

"Starscream."

His wings flicked against the air. A sensation tickled their tips. Starscream did not look up from his plate.

"Why don't you speak to your betrothed. You'll be spending the rest of your life together, after all, you might as well get used to it."

"No," the voice was unfamiliar, yet all too familiar. "He's fine. He don't gotta talk if he don't wanna."

A burning sensation curled through Starscream's core. He gripped his fork even tighter, this time until it bent. The chair squealed across the floor as he stood up. He placed both hands atop the table.

"I would like to be excused."

"You may be excused to compose yourself."

Starscream strode out of the room. He kept his chin tucked to his chest and ignored the echo of his footsteps across the empty room. As soon as he entered the hallway he stopped short and released his vents.

"Dear Primus help me." He muttered. He placed back and forth in the narrow hallway. "Dear Primus help me."

"Starscream! Come back in here!"

Starscream stopped. His pedes scuffed the organic carpet. His jaw clenched. He swallowed the lump in his throat, turned on a heel, and returned to the room. As he sat down one of the servants pushed the chair into the back of his knees. His lips pulled back at the corners, tugging the sting out of his eyes.

"Have you composed yourself?"

"Yes. I apologize," Starscream picked up his undented fork. "I just needed a moment."

The unfamiliar voice spoke. "That's okay. You-" he cut himself off. When he spoke again his voice was much softer. "You can take as much time as you need."

Starscream readjusted himself in the seat. "I'm fine. Thank you."

"You sure-"

"Yes," for the first time that evening Starscream looked at his betrothed. The glance was fleeting. He returned to staring at his full plate. "Yes."

Starscream's handler scowled. "Starscream, you will not speak to your future conjux in such a way."

"No, no," the betrothed nearly cut him off. "It's fine. Don't even worry about it."

"Starscream, you haven't even touched your food."

Starscream shook his head. "I'm not very hungry." He placed his fork down and swallowed the bile that had built in the back of his throat.

"Eat it anyways."

Starscream's hand trembled against the table. "I think I'm going to throw up."

"What?"

The sound Starscream's handler made when he threw up on the freshly polished floor was almost worth it.

* * *

There were too many people there.

None of whom Starscream knew. Yet he was surrounded. They rose from the floor in waves. No one was standing. No stragglers in the back. No unliked relatives. Everyone had a seat. The shifted and wiggled and whispered amongst themselves. Some of them wore smiles, others wore pursed lips that left room for gossip. They spoke behind their hands and never stared at the person they were speaking to.

The jewels across their chests and fingers sparkled in the light coming through the long stained glass windows. They tugged at their capes and decorations and scowled at whoever sat behind them. Starscream peeked through the crack in the door. He bit his lip.

Behind him, maids and servants fixed his cape. They brushed it and dusted it and kept it set on the floor the right way.

The music began to play. Everyone shut their mouths. Starscream closed the door.

He took a deep vent and held it. The doors parted for him. Every set of eyes, red, blue and otherwise, landed on him. He tried not to look at anyone as he walked down the aisle. He counted the steps. He kept his eyes staring straight ahead.

Every whisper reached his ears. The room carried sound. It swirled around him so that the only thing he could hear were their whispers and his own unsteady vents. They seemed so loud. The hush of teeth against air was like a screech.

Starscream stopped.

The music kept going.

He could hear the voice of his handler.

_Don't you dare throw up again._

Puking in the middle of the ceremony was even less ideal than puking at dinner.

_Keep walking. You're embarrassing us._

Starscream took a deep vent. He closed his eyes and stood up straight. He waited for the music to hit the right stride before taking his next step forward.

It was all so slow. Too slow. He stepped in time, but his hands itched and his knees trembled. He wanted nothing more than to turn around and run away. Run anywhere. Anywhere but here.

He reached the stand and could no longer avoid it.

He stared into the eyes of his betrothed. They were bright. He reached out a hand and took one of Starscream's folded own.

"It'll be okay," he whispered. His voice did not leave the space between them. Starscream might have found it amazing, but he couldn't. He could find nothing amazing in the mech before him. He was never able to find amazing things in people he hated.

He hardly even knew his name.

The music stopped.

The whispers stopped.

But it was not to last. Starscream's ears felt as though they were ringing, because he could hear nothing. But he heared no ringing. He stared at the mask of his betrothed and did not avert his eyes, not once.

"Starscream?"

Starscream's wings twitched. "Wha-"

"Do you take Wheeljack to be your conjux?"

"Oh." He nodded. "Yes. I do."

More words were said. Starscream did not hear them. But he knew what he was waiting for, and obeyed when the order was given.

"You may now kiss."

Starscream's spark pounded against his chest. He squeezed his conjux's hand so hard his claws nearly pierced the metal. Wheeljack didn't seem to mind. He leaned forward, lifted his chin, and pressed the center of his mask to Starscream's pursed lips. It was brief. Hardly a touch. It was the one thing Starscream was thankful for.

They both turned to face the crowd. The music started. They walked step in step, one foot at a time. The whispers suddenly seemed louder. As if everyone forgot they had to whisper.

The double doors at the end of the hallway parted to let the happy couple through. After a few steps the crowd rose from their seat in a roar of moving chairs and heavy doorsteps.

Starscream and Wheeljack walked out to the street where Starscream did not smile as he'd been instructed to do. Photographers and reporters were waiting behind the gate. As soon as they spotted the newly weds the lights started flashing. Wheeljack tugged on Starscream's arm, making them move faster down the stairs than they were supposed to.

He rushed them to the transport just at the base of the steps, and opened the door so Starscream could get in first. Wheeljack unceremoniously gathered the excessively long cape in his arms and shoved it into the transport before himself.

The door slammed shut.

All of the sound was gone.

Starscream did not roll down his window to wave to the people as he ought to have. Wheeljack didn't either.

The transport pulled out into the street. The crowd parted for it. Starscream stared at his folded hands and refused to look at the people on the street. He would not risk having his picture taken. It had been taken enough already.

"Whew."

Starscream looked up just in time to see Wheeljack flopping back into his seat.

"Glad that's over with." He looked at Starscream. "How you feelin'?"

Starscream clenched his jaw. He wanted to snap. Tell Wheeljack to shut up and not talk to him. But he didn't. His new conjux might take offense. And if the conjux took offense then his life would get significantly worse than it already was.

"Fine," Starscream said instead. "It was- quicker than I thought it'd be."

"Was it?" Wheeljack sat up. "Felt like hours to me. Guess that'll happen when yer standing listening to people talk for a while."

Starscream only nodded.

The transport drive them out of the city and into the slate countryside. They rose over hills and through brief forests, until they reached the large house that had been gifted to them by the state. Wheeljack's house would have sufficed. But the government chose to give them a new place to make a home together. Neutral territory.

Wheeljack got out of the transport first. Starscream waited for his door to be opened for him before getting out. The transport was automatic, so the only person there to open the door was Wheeljack. He did so, but only after almost a whole minute of not doing it.

"Sorry 'bout that."

Starscream climbed out of the transport. He stood up straight, kept his wings low, and took three steps towards the mansion. He was nearly knocked off his feet when Wheeljack closed the door on his cloak. To catch himself, Starscream grabbed the garment. The measly fabric tore under the cusp of his claws. He twisted and pulled in a futile attempt to get the cloak out of the door.

Wheeljack stood stupidly, still holding the door handle. "Oops," he opened the door and Starscream went tumbling onto his back. Oh geez." Wheeljack rushed forward, his hand outstretched.

Starscream was already halfway to his feet by the time his conjux reached him.

"You okay?"

Starscream dusted himself off. He dropped his fistful of fabric and huffed. For longer than he wanted to, he stared at Wheeljack. But it wasn't so much a stare as a glare. A narrow eyed, sneered lip glare. He averted his glare to the ground, fixed his features, and extended his hand so that Wheeljack could walk him into their new home.

It was their honeymoon. The people did not expect to see them. The people would not be seeing them.

As they walked up far too many steps for one house, Starscream's mind raced with the implications of their marriage. What was expected of them. They were to emerge from their honeymoon with at least one sparkling. It didn't matter who bore it, but the people expected a sparkling.

As far as Starscream was concerned if Wheeljack attempted to touch him anymore intimately than he had up to this point, he would be met with an untimely death. An untimely death was not ideal. Not at the moment, anyways. This union was about peace. To keep the peace, more accurately. If Wheeljack met his fate merely a day from their union, it would spoil everything both states had worked for.

Starscream wanted peace. He just had no interest in Wheeljack.

The house was not empty. The front hallway was empty. As soon as they entered the house Starscream released Wheeljack's arm. He closed the door behind them.

Starscream felt a weight settle on his wings. He refused to let them fall. The temple where they had completed the ceremony was so far away, but the whispers still reached Starscream's ears. The city, the people, the cameras, the reporters, everyone. Everything. It was miles away, but it still looked over head. It nipped at Starscream's tail.

They had two weeks to practice being together. Him and Wheeljack. Starscream would practice his smile in the mirror later and try not to sit on the opposite end of the dinner table. There were no maids or servants. Starscream and Wheeljack were responsible for the house.

His handler had warned Starscream.

" _Grounders are useless. They'll expect you to do all the work, and you ought to do it."_

Starscream had not asked why. He had no such luxury. They'd been preparing this leave for over 70 years, one seeker mouthing off was not about to ruin that.

Standing in that empty front room, Starscream wished he had mouthed off. He would have had the slag beaten out of him, but at least he wouldn't have been conjux'd.

"You wanna pick your room?"

Starscream's wings twitched. He looked down at Wheeljack, who was staring at him expectedly. Starscream raised a brow.

"Our room?"

"Uh-" Wheeljack walked further into the house. "No." He strode all the way to the sitting room at the back of the house. Starscream absently followed. He started to fall to one side so he could lean on the doorframe. He stopped mid fall and righted himself. He removed his hands from his arms and curled his fists at his side.

Wheeljack pulled the curtains over the large window so only a crack of light could pierce them. He turned around. "Unless you want to." He shrugged, taking a few steps forward. "I'm okay either way," he walked right past Starscream. "But there ain't anyone out here to see us. And-" he briefly glanced at the corners of the room. "No cameras. So we can do whatever we want."

"We should do what is expected of us." The words felt like acid. Starscream swallowed the bile. His jaw clenched hard enough to crack his teeth.

Wheeljack shrugged. "If that's what you want."

It wasn't. But Starscream didn't say that.

"You know how long we have to stay here?" Wheeljack asked.

"Two weeks."

"Huh," Wheeljack absently examined the books and datapads strategically set up on the desk in the corner. "Really wanted us to get to work, huh? We didn't even get a party."

"This stu-" Starscream cut himself off. He tried again. "This union is not about parties."

"I know. I know that. I guess-" Wheeljack ran his thumb over the pages of a book, looking back and forth between it and the shelf. He bounced his leg. "I guess I just expected somethin' different from my conjux ceremony is all."

Starscream sneered. "No one else did. Why should you have?"

Wheeljack shook his head. "I dunno." He replaced the book on the shelf and walked out of the room. "You can pick out our bedroom if you want to."

* * *

Wheeljack did not come to bed. Starscream went through the trouble of finding him to tell him where their room was, and he didn't even come to bed. Useless.

It looked as though Starscream's handler had been right about one thing. Grounders were helpless, stupid creatures. Wheeljack was probably lost. Starscream huffed and rolled into his side. He would let Wheeljack stay lost. See if he learns a thing or two about fending for himself. He would have his dinner made and his house cleaned and his future sparklings tended to, he could stay lost.

At least he thought he would be getting all of those things. Starscream wouldn't try to make him think otherwise.

It was after midnight when Starscream felt the shift in the bed. He hasn't been asleep, but he was finally getting there when the disturbance stirred him from his thoughts.

Wheeljack shoved the blanket aside and stationed himself on the edge of the bed. As far from Starscream as he could possibly get. He imagined for a moment that maybe Wheeljack didn’t want to share a bed. Wheeljack had been acting funny that morning. Almost uncomfortable. Almost as if he wanted to be there just as much as Starscream did.

“ _Grounders will lust after you. They hardly have a brain in their head. They think with their chests, and the hardware between their legs.”_

Starscream groaned to himself. He drew the pillow over his head as if it could block out the noise inside.

“ _Grounders will lust after you.”_

This grounder was not lusting after him. Not right now. Not while they were at dinner, or at parties, or in the transport. He had no interest, it seemed. Or did he? Was it a trick? Was he trying to seem sincere so that Starscream would let his guard down?

Starscream groaned louder.

There was a shift on the bed. “Starscream?”

“What?”

“You-uh- you okay?”

Starscream took a deep vent and held it. He threw the pillow off his head and sat up. “Just tired,” he muttered. “I’m going to sit in the library.”

Starscream did not know where the library was. He assumed there was one. The house was certainly big enough. He shuffled through the dark hallways, leaving the lights off as he went. There was no reason to turn them on, it wasn’t as if he could run into anything more than the wall. The halls were empty, even void of cheap decorations and paintings of people Starscream didn’t care about.

He ran his hand along the wall looking for door handles. Every door he touched he opened. The moonlight from the windows flooded the walls around him. He never stepped in it. It never even touched the tips of his wings. No, his world was dark. And it remained dark. He felt the cold organic material beneath his pedes.

His hand locked around one one of the many crystal doorknobs. He let the door swing open. This time he stood in the threshold, and let the light bathe him as he entered the room. There were books everywhere. On every wall and desk and chair. They were organic, and old looking, but probably not very old. Their spines had been chipped and scratched as if they’d been opened a hundred times by hands that cared.

Starscream always used datapads. The feeling of organic material beneath his fingertips was unsettling. It was unnatural. He scanned the shelves, but only found the foul, useless expense of books with paper pages.

These were not his.

A different voice drifted through his head.

" _There ain't anyone out here to see us...No cameras. So we can do whatever we want."_

Starscream checked the corners of the room. Nothing. He grabbed the first paper book from the shelf and tore it clean in half. It was so fragile. So disposable. Its thin, weak, pages drifted to the ground, catching the little bit of air there was to catch.

Starscream grabbed the next book and did the same to it. He took book after book, one by one, and tore them all in half. The books tore in a way that ruined the words on their pages and made a mess on the floor. It wasn’t long before he was kicking through puddles of paper in order to get to the next shelf.

He didn’t keep track of time. He ignored the sting in his hands when he picked up when must have been the thousandth book and tore it in two. More than half the books in the library were dead by the time the moon disappeared. Even more than that were scattered on the floor in pieces by the time the sun emerged.

Starscream’s hands were raw. The balls and fingertips of his hands had been worn down to their mesh. He could not even touch another book. He fell into one of the chairs off to the side of the desk.

Familiar pede steps shuffled out of the hallway, but stopped just inside the threshold.

Starscream did not even look at his conjux. He kept his gaze dead set on the shelf of books that he hadn’t touched. He sneered his lip, and spoke so only the air could hear him.

“I hate you.”

“I know.”


	2. The Seal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: I am marking this chapter with mild dub-con. There is no interface, but Starscream consents to something he does not necessarily want. He can say no, he is given the freedom to say no, but outside sources pressure him into saying yes. It is a non-graphic scene, but I wanted to put a warning just in case.

They stayed on opposite sides of the house. The only time they interacted was for dinner, which Starscream had on the table by seven sharp every evening. He prepared breakfast, but they did not eat it together. He did not prepare lunch, because it was a useless meal that Wheeljack could do himself. But Starscream did prepare dinner, and they did eat it together.

They didn’t say two words for each other, but they ate together. Wheeljack didn’t even say thank you. It took all the will Starscream could muster not to pour the stupid grounder’s dinner over his head. He could eat it off his stupid ears and clean up afterwards.

Starscream didn’t do that.

He picked at his boiled golden nuggets and watched from across the table as Wheeljack read a datapad. He was always reading something. A datapad, a datanote, an organic book. Everytime Wheeljack left a book alone, Starscream took it upon himself to destroy it. Wheeljack must not have cared very much because he never said anything.

Wheeljack finished his food and stood up. He brought his plate to the kitchen and placed it in the sink. Starscream sneered at his back, wondering what use Wheeljack’s hands were. They apparently couldn’t wash a dish, so they must have been hardly suitable for anything else. It seemed as though gripping datapads was all Wheeljack’s hands could do.

Starscream was in no hurry to finish his dinner. After dinner he cleaned. After he cleaned he went to bed, and when he went to bed he would be laying next to Wheeljack. They would not touch, or speak, and they’d probably avoid making eye contact, but they would still be together. Wheeljack could only get so far away before he may as well have been sleeping on the floor. Every night for the last week Starscream had to resist the urge to kick his conjux right off the bed, and laugh as he floundered onto the floor. It was always disappointing to wake up and find that Wheeljack had not fallen out of bed, but had instead moved closer over the course of the night.

Starscream washed the minuscule amount of dishes and put them away for tomorrow. He summoned the duster from the corner cupboard, and started his rounds. He and Wheeljack had brought few possessions with them, so they had very few things laying about. Dust settled in small amounts. Neither party left the house so the risk of anything being tracked in from the outside was nonexistent.

Starscream shuffled through the hallways absently wagging his wrist with the duster. He came upon a pedestal with a vase sitting on it. IThe vase was tall and thin, with one gold stripe in the center of an otherwise green surface. It opened up at the top like a flower.

Starscream tapped it with his claw, and squinted at the finish. He couldn’t tell what it was made out of, metal or glass. He picked it up and weighed it in his hand. He assumed it was made of metal, it certainly felt heavy enough. He let go of the ornament and watched it shatter on the floor.

“Hm. It was glass,” he muttered to himself. He left the mess where it lay, and continued to absently dust the walls. The house was too big. Wide and narrow hallways stretched in every direction. The walls were covered in a brown organic material, and painted with organic stain. Starscream sneered. Why did these Iaconians insist on using these imported materials? Cybertron had more than enough resources to build houses with and make vases out of.

Starscream rounded a corner and found another vase on a stand. He stared at the red and purple ornament and scowled. It was ugly. Such a poorly designed piece of garbage didn’t belong in his house. He picked it up and dropped it, praying that it was made of glass.

This vase, too, shattered all over the floor.

Starscream abandoned his duster on the pedestal and stepped over the mess. He marched to the other vase sitting against the wall and shoved it to the floor. He didn’t watch it break. The noise it made was just as satisfying.

He broke the next vase, and the one after that. Every vase he came across he threw on the ground. Every vase he came across was made of glass. Starscream went at it for three hallways. Anything he could see that looked as though it was made of glass, he broke.

Wheeljack peaked his head out of a room and looked around.

Starscream stopped short where he was about to smash another vase on the floor.

Wheeljack walked up to him. “What are you doing?”

Starscream did not respond. He stared Wheeljack in the face and tried to find some semblance of emotion in his features. He dropped the vase he was holding.

“Cleaning.”

* * *

Starscream slept with his wings off the side of the bed.

It sometimes forced him to stare at Wheeljack’s sleeping face. His features were less pronounced in the dark. The mask didn’t help. Wheeljack did have a mouth. He ate with it every evening. He had scars on his face.

Considering the privileged lifestyle Wheeljack had grown up with, Starscream imagined the scars came from something stupid. Falling off a bike, or getting smacked in the face by a sibling. Something that didn’t make for a good story but left a good scar.

Sometimes his mask slipped off when he slept, allowing Starscream access to the elusive face. Wheeljack was far from ugly. He was downright pleasant to look at. But Starscream would rather have hot pokers stuck in his eyes than to look at that face everyday.

Wheeljack stirred. His eyes split open. He muttered. "You're awake."

"No I'm not."

"Hm." Wheeljack rolled over.

Starscream sat up. He studied Wheeljack's sleeping figure. His shoulders rose and fell with his vents. He didn't use a blanket, so his body was in full view. The tips of one pede tapped rhythmically against the back of the other. His fingertips flexed against the berth pad.

Starscream slipped out of the room. There were no more books in the library. No more books on the desks. The mess from the vases had been inexplicably cleaned up. There were other vases to break, but that was noise. Starscream didn't want nosie. He wanted peace. Peace away from his conjux. He wandered to the sitting room on the opposite end of the house. It harbored a large window that looked out at the empty plains that surrounded them.

Starscream sat in one of the two chairs facing the window. The moon was full that evening, as it always seemed to be. It's borrowed lights flooded the pale fields and tricked into the room. The light rested gently on Starscream's face. He closed his eyes and leaned his head back.

Starscream swam in the silence. It settled around him like dust. No white noise. No footsteps. No broken vases. The peace was a blanket that laid over Starscream's wary frame. He let it suck the tension from his struts, and send him off into a peaceful rest.

It hardly felt like a moment.

When Starscream opened his eyes daylight was trickling through the window. He squinted and placed his hand between his face and the sun. He stood from his chair and spread his arms out with his wings. The wings fluttered on his back, flicking away the soreness from sleeping in a chair. When Starscream checked his chrono he froze. It was almost nine. How could it possibly be almost nine?

Wheeljack was probably sitting somewhere like an idiot waiting for his breakfast. Primus forbid Starscream upset his conjux because he didn’t feed him. He felt as though he owned a hound with how much he had to feed his conjux.

Starscream scurried to the kitchen. He knocked over one stray vase on his way there. Breakfast was done and on a plate in less than an hour. He only made enough for Wheeljack. It was after 10, so Wheeljack was likely in one of the many offices doing who knows what. He had taken three out of seven offices for himself so far. Not as though Starscream had any use for an office, but it felt selfish all the same.

“Curse this stupid fragging giant house,” Starscream swore as he wandered to every office in search of his conjux. He didn’t deign to knock on any of the doors. Wheeljack couldn’t have possibly been doing anything scandalous.

Well, he could have. But not anything Starscream cared about.

He found Wheeljack in the third office. Starscream hadn’t taken the time to examine the house very closely. He knew that it had many books that weren’t his, and many breakable things. He also knew that he and Wheeljack had brought very little with them.

So when he opened the office door and found the room a complete and utter mess, his wings sprung up on his back. He cocked his head, and did the math in his mind. The floor was littered with books, real books, mechanisms and datapads, and charts of all different types. Flow charts, and histograms and pie charts. They were all crudely made as if they’d been drawn by hand. Not only that, but these drawings and charts were on paper that had been haphazardly taped and stapled together.

Wheeljack sat at the littered desk. He was using a compass to draw something out on a large piece of paper. Starscream didn't pay attention to where he was stepping. He kicked and crushed everything in his way. When he reached the desk he used one arm to shove everything onto the floor. It was only then that Wheeljack seemed to notice him. He furrowed his brow and put down his compass.

"What is it with you and breaking things?"

Starscream placed the plate down. “I made you breakfast.”

“Thanks, but I already ate.”

Starscream's wings twitched. "You already ate."

"Yes."

Starscream picked up the plate. "Great." He turned on a heel and took one step.

"Uh, Starscream."

"What?"

"It's been more than a week now. I think maybe we should discuss the-" he coughed. "The uh. The things that they expect of us."

"You mean the sparkling."

Wheeljack made a tapping sound. "Yeah. That."

Starscream's hands tightened around the plate. "I will be in the bedroom."

"I didn't-"

"I will be in the bedroom. For one hour."

Wheeljack didn't say anything. When he spoke it was barely audible. "Okay."

* * *

Starscream didn't eat. He rushed to the kitchen and placed the plate down. He put both hands on the counter and hunched over. His wings rattled on his back. He took in a long vent, and let it out slowly. Only when his body began to ach did he stand up straight. He closed his eyes, rubbed the back of his neck and waded his head from one side to the other.

As soon as his eyes split open, they found the block on the counter. He strode towards it, and drew the largest knife out of the center. The expertly crafted surface distorted his reflection. He contemplated his options. Unfortunately, stab wounds were conspicuous. Not to mention messy.

No.

Starscream would have to wait until he could get ahold of his goods. Until then he would have to keep up the act. An act that, regrettably, involved being intimate with his husband at least once. Only once. That’s all the grounder would get.

Once.

Starscream put the knife back and left the kitchen. On his way to the bedroom he knocked over and tore down everything he came across. Every vase and painting. He made claw marks on the walls and swallowed his screams. He punched himself in the chest to stop his spark from rotating as hard as it was.

It wouldn't be long.

They would only have to do this once, then it wouldn't be long. Starscream would never have to deal with his conjux again. He would never have to deal with him or this house or their state ever again.

The bedroom was empty when Starscream arrived. He fell into the berth and fluttered his wings. Wheeljack would be there any minute.

Any minute.

Starscream had to wait almost the entire hour. He resorted to reading one of Wheeljack's stray datapads until he heard muttering outside the door. Starscream tossed the datapad aside and scooted down. He let his knees fall to either side and waited for his conjux to come into the room.

And waited.

And waited.

"Primus, help me," Starscream muttered. "What is that idiot doing?"

The door cracked open. Wheeljack peaked his head in. He slipped into the room and closed the door behind him. He stayed pressed to the doorframe, his hand still on the knob.

Starscream spread his legs further apart. "Well? Get it over with, won't you?"

Wheeljack swallowed thickly. "You-" he swallowed again. "Do you want to carry?"

"Yes."

"Hm."

"I don't want to do any work."

Wheeljack took one step towards the bed. "Carrying is a lot of work."

"Not while making it. And not afterwards. Hardly during. I'll get a few months to be lazy. If you'd get it over with already."

Wheeljack took another step toward the berth. "Not afterwards?"

"By the time I'm done we'll have a nanny. He can take care of it."

Wheeljack came to the edge of the berth. "So you won't take care of your sparkling at all?"

Starscream checked his talons. "I wasn't planning on it."

Wheeljack climbed into the berth. Starscream instinctively backed away until he hit the bedframe. He unclenched his jaw and laid down flat on his back, Wheeljack still hovering over him. "Are you finally going to begin?"

Wheeljack shook his head. "You don't want a sparkling."

"I doubt anybody does."

"Then we won't have one."

Starscream sat up on his elbows so he and his conjux were face to face. "Don't be silly. If we don't-"

"What? What will happen? No one is here to make sure we interface." Wheeljack started to climb off. Starscream grabbed the edge of his armour.

"No!"

"What? You don't even-"

"You have to break my seal."

Wheeljack sat back on his haunches. He pried the taloned hand off his chest. "What?"

Starscream's plating clamped. His hands balled into fists, but he wouldn't look at Wheeljack. "Just do it, you fragger. Just get it over with."

"No." Wheeljack climbed off the berth. He narrowed his eyes. "You still have your seals?"

"Of course I do you id- you. Of course I do!"

"Why?"

Starscream's legs snapped shut. His words sputtered. "What do you mean, why?"

"I-" Wheeljack shook his head. His feet shuffled on the ground. "I guess. I dunno-" he itched at his finial. "I mean, I knew the seekers were strict, but-"

Starscream flew off the berth. "You don't know anything." He snapped. He sat back on the bed and spread his legs. "Now just get on with it. Come on. We don't have all day." He tried to swallow the tremble in his voice.

"I mean technically we do-"

"Wheeljack!"

Wheeljack leaned over and placed his hands on either side of Starscream so that their faces were mere inches from each other. Wheeljack shook his head. "I'm not going to interface with you, Starscream. I'm not gonna interface with a mech who don't want it."

Starscream sneered. "Fine. Then leave so I can do it myself. But they'll know the difference."

"Who?"

Starscream's wings flared. "My handler, you thick headed-" he snapped his mouth shut. He stared holes into the berthpad. "Just leave. Go back to whatever it was you were doing."

Wheeljack furrowed his brow. "Your what?"

"Oh for Primus sake," Starscream stood up and shoved his conjux. "Leave. Just leave!"

Wheeljack let himself out. Starscream slammed the door behind him. The impact rattled the few things left on the wall. As soon as Wheeljack was gone Starscream backup until he hit the berth. He sat down. His fists clenched and unclenched on top of his knees.

“Stupid grounder. I have to do everything myself.”

Starscream tried to stay angry, but he couldn’t fight the tension leaving his frame. Wheeljack didn’t even try to interface with him. He’d hardly even touched him.

“Don’t trust a grounder.”

Starscream didn’t trust it.

“Even one you’re married to.”

Starscream shook his head and stood up. “This is hardly a marriage,” he muttered to himself, He dreaded the voice in his head, but dreaded even more that soon it wouldn’t just be a voice. In less than a week he would have to see his handler again. He would be checked for sparklings. Checked to make sure he had tried to conceive. He would comply, but only because he couldn’t kill his handler. That would spell trouble. Too much to be worth it.

Not as much as what he was going to do with his husband. But still trouble.

At least Starscream could act like he was mourning Wheeljack. Mourning the person who had married him off to Wheeljack would be much more difficult.

Starscream didn’t dwell on it. He sat back down, spread his legs, and opened his panel. He would make it quick and painless.

Quick and painless.

With razor sharp claws that he had been advised to never stick in a valve.

He closed his panel and closed his legs. This was a task for a different time. A time when he was less wound up and less likely to accidentally hurt himself. One wrong move and he’d split his wall open. There would be blood everywhere, and he wouldn’t even have the tools to patch it.

Starscream stood up, then sat back down. He stood up again, but sat back down. His wings sprung as high as they could.

“Frag this!” he swore. He stormed into the hallway, and kept his pace all the way to Wheeljack’s office. He shoved the door open so hard it nearly blew off it’s hinges. “Do you have gloves?”

Wheeljack didn’t look up from his work. “What kinda gloves?”

“I don’t care. Any gloves.”

“Hmmm.”

“Well?”

Wheeljack put his compass down and patted around his subspace. “Yeah, I got gloves.” He summoned them from a pocket and held them out.

Starscream stomped forward and snatched them up. He felt the material before putting them on.

"What are you gonna do with them?"

Starscream tried the gloves on for size. "I already told you what I'm going to do with them." His talon immediately pierced the thick organic fabric. He snarled and tugged them off and threw them on the floor. "Useless."

Wheeljack bent over and picked up the gloves from beside the desk. "Look at that, glass crap ain't the only thing you break."

"Shut up. Don't you have anything more durable?"

"Depends, what do you need them for?"

Starscream scowled. He spoke through gritted teeth. "You know what I need them for."

"No. I don't."

Starscream slammed his hands on the desk. "Damn it, Wheeljack. I already told you!"

"Then tell me again!"

"To pop my seal."

Wheeljack furrowed his brow. "Why do you need gloves to pop yer seal?"

Starscream summoned his claws from his palm. He slammed the tips into the desk and dragged his hand across the surface. Deep gouges followed, enough to nearly split the desk in two. It took Starscream two tries to tug his hand free of the wood.

Wheeljack stared at the damaged desk. "You coulda just said you'd hurt yourself."

"I thought a demonstration would work better."

"Obviously."

"Do you have anything for me? Besides a spike."

Wheeljack frowned. "You're not funny." He picked his compass back up and pressed the sharp tip into the desk. As soon as pressure was applied the desk split apart and fell to the floor. Wheeljack slumped. "Great." He pushed himself to his feet. "Now I have to find a new office."

"There are plenty."

Wheeljack gathered a few of his datapads from the floor. "Why you doin' this, anyways?"

"They expect us to have a sparkling. They're going to make sure we tried."

"Well, we ain't gonna have a sparkling." He stood up straight. "Just tell 'em I'm the one carrying."

Starscream crossed and uncrossed his arms. He kicked a stray pile of datapads. "They want me to carry." He muttered through his teeth.

"Why?"

Starscream rolled his head. "Who cares why? No matter what I tell them they're going to check."

Wheeljack flipped through his datapads. "Hm."

"Hm? Hm? Is that the only sound you can make? Primus!" Starscream threw his arms in the air. "You're insufferable."

"We've had one conversation!"

"I'm going back to our room!"

Starscream stormed from the office. There was nothing left to break or destroy so he settled for making marks on the wall all the way to the bedroom. As soon as he reached the berth he laid down and burrowed his face in a pillow. He screamed so no one would hear.

Starscream couldn’t find it in himself to get out of the bed. He laid there for the rest of the day, staring at the ceiling. Every once in a while he would spread his legs and open his panel, but it was never for long. He couldn’t do it himself.

Well, physically he could.

But he would pop more than his seal.

“Frag my stupid handler and his stupid rules,” he muttered. “Maybe I can just be careful. Maybe it will all work out.”

Except it wouldn’t, and he shouldn’t. So he didn’t.

Starscream tried to relax. He had an entire week to figure out what he was going to do. Granted, he should have thought about it during the past week he had to think about it. But he didn’t. He had more important things to think about, like how much he hated Wheeljack, and how to destroy all of the organic stuff in his wretched house.

The light eventually left the bedroom window and Starscream found himself in darkness. His hand was poised over his closed panel, put it wouldn’t be doing anything.

The door creaked open. It clicked shut.

Starscream opened one eye and watched a shadow move about the room until it loomed over him. He removed his hand from his panel and placed it on his cockpit. He sneered at the figure.

“What?”

Wheeljack’s head turned slowly, his eyes taking in Starscream’s frame, then traveling back up to his face. “How badly do you want this?”

“Want what?”

“To pop your seal.”

“I won’t interface with you. That offer-”

“I don’t want to interface.” He held up his hand. “But I have fingers without claws. So if you need this, If you really think it’s necessary, then-” He closed his hand into a fist. “I’ll do it for you. It’ll be impersonal. Just business. Or necessity, if you prefer.”

Starscream narrowed his eyes. “How do I know you won’t assault me?”

“Believe me, I wanna interface with you, as much as you wanna interface with me.”

Starscream scowled. He rolled onto his back, spread his legs, and opened his panel. “Just make it quick.”

Wheeljack placed one knee on the berth and leaned over Starscream’s leg. Starscream watched him take something out of his subspace.

“What is that?”

“Lubricant.”

Starscream’s legs snapped shut. “For?”

“If you stick a dry thing in another dry thing, it hurts. A lot. And you ain’t turned on so it’ll hurt more. This is supposed to be quick and painless.”

Starscream stared past his nose at Wheeljack. After a few tense seconds Starscream let his knees fall apart again. Wheeljack applied the lubricant to his pointer finger.

“Try to relax. It’ll hurt less.”

Starscream laid all the way down and took a deep vent.

“Ready?”

Starscream sneered. “Just do it.” He squeaked when he felt a pinch.

“That’s just me. Like I said, it’s gonna hurt. When the seal breaks you’re gonna feel a tight pinch.”

Starscream’s hips shifted. “How- yeow!” His knees snapped shut. His hand flew over his mouth.

Wheeljack pulled his hand away. “Okay. Yer done.”

Starscream uncovered his mouth. “That’s it?”

“That’s it.” Wheeljack stood up. “You may be a little bit sore, but it shouldn’t last more than a couple minutes,” he headed towards the washroom. “Moving around will help.” He slipped into the washroom. Starscream sat up. The water turned on. He stood up and paced until the soreness went away. When it was gone he sat down.

Wheeljack emerged from the washroom. Starscream watched from over his shoulder as Wheeljack laid down on the opposite end of the bed. Still as close to the edge as he could get. This time facing the wall.

Quick, almost painless, and impersonal.

Starscream rubbed his knees together, the sensation still lingering. He looked over his shoulder at Wheeljack.

“Goodnight.”


	3. The Handler

Starscream snored. He probably didn't know he snored, but he snored. His laid on his back with his head past the pillow and his mouth wide open. The epitome of a peaceful sleeper.

Wheeljack sat up in bed doing work. He sat with his legs crossed and his hip dangerously close to Starscream's stray wing. Starscream tended to sprawl in his sleep. His limbs stretches out on either side of his head, his legs akimbo. He always fell asleep on his side, and getting onto his back from his side took a lot of movement with those wings. He did it all in his sleep and woke up clueless.

Wheeljack often stayed in the bedroom in the morning. The big empty house was too quiet for his taste. Starscream's snores were an odd comfort. They filled the otherwise silent room, and reminded Wheeljack that he wasn't in this alone even though it often felt as though he was. Normally he left the room before Starscream woke up, but the fleeting moments they spent together in the morning were enough to get Wheeljack through his day.

He couldn't say he necessarily liked Starscream. The seeker was mean and stubborn and liked to break things for the sake of breaking things. But he was just about the only person who could understand what Wheeljack was going through. If he would come around, that is. Starscream was disgruntled, and for good reason. But Wheeljack had faith that eventually they could come to an understanding.

A muted ping disrupted Wheeljack’s routine. He had kept his comms down, but not all the way off like he’d been advised to. When he answered the call a cutting, condescending voice met his head.

“Wheeljack, dear. Come and let me in, won’t you?”

Wheeljack discarded his datapad and got out of bed. He shuffled all the way to the front door and undid the various locks. As soon as he opened the door, a gold and maroon clad seeker strutted into the house. He walked with his nose in the air and one hand behind his back. The other curled into a loose fist up by his chin.

“Thank you, Wheeljack,” he said, his tone betraying his sincerity. “Where is your husband?”

Wheeljack pushed the door closed and didn’t bother to lock it. “What are you doing here?”

The Seeker’s wings twitched. He turned halfway around. “Hm? Are you going to get him?”

Wheeljack took a few steps forward. “Mach, right?”

A sickly smile spread onto the seeker’s lips. “Oh Wheeljack, we’ve discussed this. Mach-10, dear. You will refer to me as Mach-10. Now where is Starscream?”

“You didn’t answer my question, Mach-10, what are you doing here? We’re not supposed to be collected until tomorrow.”

Mach-10 turned on a heel. He flippantly wagged his hand over his shoulder. “I am well aware of the date. I am here to prepare Starscream for the ball tomorrow.” He looked over one fluttering wing. “If anyone else knocks on the door, do answer it, dear.” He dropped both hands to his side and strutted into the house. “Are you going to tell me where your conjux is, or am I going to have to find him.” He chuckled mirthlessly. “You know I don’t want to do that, Wheeljack.”

Wheeljack followed him into the sitting room. Mach-10 turned about the room, his eyes scanning the shelves. He glared at the empty shelves but didn’t say anything.

“May I offer you a drink, Mach-10.”

Mach-10 shook his head. “No, dear.”

“Something to eat? Please,” Wheeljack stepped aside and gestured the hall. “What kind of host would I be if I didn’t provide for you?”

Mach-10 hummed. “That’s what servants are for, dear. Or your husband.” He clasped both hands behind his back. “Who you have yet to produce.”

“He’s still asleep. He’s uh- he’s,” Wheeljack itched at his finial. “He’s tired. After our ravenous love making.”

Mach-10’s eyes widened. His quickly fixed his expression. “Ah,” he smiled again. “I see.” He let out a long, high pitched sigh. “Well, I know how seekers get after they interface. I suppose I can take that drink.”

Wheeljack’s frame relaxed. He lead Mach-10 to the large dining room and pulled out a chair for him. Wheeljack scurried into the kitchen. He hopped on his comm and tried to call Starscream. Surprisingly, he answered.

“What.”

Wheeljack kept his voice down. “Starscream, hey. You’re uh- you’re- guy. I don’t know what to call him. Mach-10. He’s here.”

A deafening screech followed. “Mach-10 is here!”

“Yeah, we’re in the dining room.”

“Primus-” he comm cut out.

Wheeljack prepared to drinks and brought them out to the dining room on a tray. He set one of them in front of Mach-10 and walked to the other side of the table with the other.

Mach-10 took one sip. He slapped the flavor in his mouth and sucked on his tongue. When he put the glass down he placed it further away. He folded his hands on the table and turned that slippery smile to Wheeljack. “So. Starscream has been serving you well, I hope.”

Wheeljack gulped his mouthful of drink. He nodded. “Yeah, yeah. He’s great.”

“Satisfying you in bed, I hope.”

Wheeljack choked on his next sip. He placed his glass down and pushed it away, still heaving the liquid from his throat. “Yeah,” he coughed. “Yeah. Yeah. He’s-” his voice cracked. “He’s great. Very-uh- very s-satisfying.”

“Good. I am happy to hear that. I apologize if he’s fallen asleep during your, what did you call them? Ravenous love making sessions?" His eyes narrowed into sharp little lines. "Seekers are complex creatures. We often fall asleep when overwhelmed. More often than not during intimacy. Don’t take it personally, only a seeker truly knows how to please a seeker. Starscream’s purpose is to please you.”

Wheeljack bit his lips between his teeth, swallowing his response. “'Starscream’s purpose,' my shiny metal ass, you pompous big headed piece of horse shit.”

Instead he smiled. “Well. He’s done a good job. I promise.”

Mach-10 nodded, seemingly satisfied. His smile disappeared, his wing twitched, and his attention was suddenly drawn to the entrance of the room. “Ah.”

Starscream strode through the door.

Mach-10 did not even greet him. He snapped his fingers. “Bring us our breakfast, Starscream.”

Starscream did not respond. His lips almost sneered, but stopped halfway to his nose. He fixed his expression and turned on a heel. Wheeljack watched him walk into the kitchen and disappear, leaving him alone with Mach-10 yet again. Hopefully Mach-10 was tired of talking about the relationship, and would either disengage or change the subject-

“You’ve merged?”

Wheeljack’s answer was instinctive. “Of course.”

“Good. You’ll find the seeker spark is much stronger than yours. He’s carrying, I trust.”

“Oh, Mach-10, I’d think you of all people would know that I can’t tell you that.”

A sneer flashed across Mach-10’s face. It was gone just as quickly. He smiled. “I just meant that he is the designated carrier, dear. That you are trying to spark him.”

Wheeljack retracted his mask and smiled. “I think you know the answer to that.”

Mach-10’s lips pulled into a taut line. His eyes narrowed. “Yes. I suppose I must.”

Starscream emerged from the kitchen with a tray of food. Mach-10 smiled. “Ah. I see you’ve done the sensible thing, Starscream. I knew I taught you well.”

Starscream placed down the various dishes. Boiled nuggets, carved boar, scrambled alloygator eggs. It was a feast.

Mach-10 snapped. “Come on, hurry it up. I haven’t eaten a thing all day.”

Starscream made Mach-10 a plate, then Wheeljack, then himself. When it came time for Starscream to sit down, he hesitated. He took one step towards Wheeljack, but took it back. He then took a step towards Mach-10, but took that back as well. He huffed and pulled out the chair directly in front of him.

“For Primus sake, Starscream. Sit beside your husband.”

Starscream stood up and moved. He sat on the left side of Wheeljack. They ate in silence, with only the sound of forks against plates to keep them company. When Mach-10 finished his food he snapped his fingers.

“Make me another plate.”

Starscream’s plating clamped. His wings rattled. He dropped his fork and pushed himself to his feet. Mach-10 was holding out his plate on the other side of the table. Starscream did not snatch it out of his hand. He collected the plate with two hands, filled it with food, and returned it to Mach-10.

Mach-10 did not thank him.

“So, Starscream. You’ve been keeping your conjux’s house clean, I trust. You never were of any use in the mansion.”

Starscream nodded. “I clean everyday.”

“Good. Maybe you did learn something from your extensive lesions. I’m glad that time was not wasted on you.”

Starscream’s jaw clenched. He pushed his food around but did not eat it.

Mach-10 pursed his lip. “Hm. Don’t you have a single thing to say, Starscream?”

“Thank you,” Starscream spit out. “For all the time you spent training me.”

“To be a servant to whoever this bozo decided to marry you off to.” Wheeljack thought. He cleared his plate and held his tongue. As soon as he was done Starscream took the plate.

“Do you want anymore, darling?”

“Uh-” Wheeljack was thrown by the pet name. “Sure. uh- dear?”

Starscream rolled his eyes. He made Wheeljack another plate and sat back down. Wheeljack chewed on his tongue. He nodded at Starscream.

“Thank you.”

Starscream’s hand froze. He looked at Wheeljack with wide eyes.

Wheeljack picked up his plate and moved to stand. Before he could get very far Starscream’s hand snatched his wrist. He spoke through gritted teeth. "Sit down."

They both glanced across the table. Mach-10 didn’t seem to be paying attention to them. Starscream let go.

“Just play along,” he whispered. “He won’t be leaving anytime soon.”

Wheeljack nodded. Starscream removed the plate from in front of him and took it to the kitchen. When he returned Mach-10 held out his plate, but did not ask for more food. On his second trip back from the kitchen Starscream placed a goblet in Mach-10’s waiting servos. Starscream then proceed to clean up the half finished meal.

Wheeljack fingers thrummed atop the table.

Mach-10s shrill voice filled the silence. “Primus, Starscream! Have I taught you nothing? Get your conjux a drink.”

Starscream slammed the plates back onto the table and stormed to the kitchen.

Mach-10 scowled. “Don’t you dare take that attitude with me.”

Starscream placed a goblet in front of Wheeljack and returned to cleaning up.

Mach-10 swirled his drink in his bejeweled cup. “Forgive his attitude.” He drawled. “He has always been our problem child.”

Wheeljack words left his mouth before he thought about them. “You’re his creator?”

Mach-10 made a choking noise. “Oh Primus, no.”

Wheeljack furrowed his brow. “But- you just said.”

“Well, of course I raised him. But I’m not his creator.” Mach-10 put down his cup. “You don’t know much about Seekers, do you?”

Wheeljack shook his head. “‘Fraid not.”

“Hm. Well. Once you have your sparkling.” Mach-10 picked up his up and took a sip. “You’ll get quite a lesson.”

Wheeljack inadvertently pulled back. “Uh-huh.” He leaned forward. “So, uh, if ya don’t mind me asking. If you’re not his creator then- who are you exactly?”

“His handler, of course.”

A sick bolt of familiarity shot through Wheeljack’s spine. His jaw clenched. “Ah.” He cleared his throat and swallowed the bile. “I see.”

“I doubt that.”

Starscream stepped back into the room, but did not go far from the threshold. Mach-10 stood up and addressed him. “I think it’s time I see how you’ve been running the place.” He tapped Starscream below the chin with the back of his hand. “See if you need any refreshments on your lessons.”

Starscream sneered as soon as his handler’s back was turned. He and Wheeljack followed Mach-10 about the house. Every time they entered a new hallway or a different room, Mach-10 furrowed his brow, He often stared at the empty pedestals where vases used to sit, and study spaces on the walls where paintings used to hang. All evidence of their destruction had since been removed.

Starscream swallowed frequently. His wings twitched and flicked and fluttered everytime they turned a corner. All the while he kept his nose in the air. He walked mirroring Mach-10s uptight form. Hands clasped behind his back, wings high on his back. They almost stepped in time. Starscream stayed the same distance behind his handler during the entire tour.

They entered one of the sitting rooms. The same one Starscream had fallen asleep in only a week before. Mach-10 halfway around. He studied the couple under a cold scrutinizing gaze long enough for Wheeljack to squirm under it. Mach-10 turned all the way around.

“Where do you sleep?”

Starscream’s wings fanned out. One of them smacked Wheeljack in the back of the head.

“Oow.”

Mach-10 put on a sneer that contorted his pretty features into a flurry of ugly lines. “Primus, Starscream! Can’t you control yourself?”

Starscream replaced his wings to the appropriate position. They wagged back and forth before settling. “Sorry.”

“You ought to be.”

Starscream stepped aside and gestured the hallway. “We sleep in the bedroom on the other side of the house. The largest one there is.”

Mach-10 strutted out of the room. “Show me.”

It almost seemed as though Mach-10 knew where he was going, whether he was being shown or not. Starscream barely had to say a word. When they arrived at the bedroom Mach-10 stood in the threshold.

"It's a mess," he commented. He eyed the berth. "Well. At least you were sensible enough to put clean sheets on the berth." He stepped into the room. "Evidence of your coupling would have been less than ideal. Even more than the state of this room already is."

“I didn’t have time to clean it.” Starscream said. “I didn’t even know you were coming.”

“Hm. You should know better, Starscream. The room should have been clean anyways. Do you want your conjux living in a messy home?”

“No, Mach-10.”

“I thought so.” Mach-10 turned his steely eyes to Wheeljack. “Give us a moment, won’t you, dear?”

Wheeljack glanced at Starscream, who gave him no signals. Wheeljack nodded. “Uh. Sure,” he stepped backwards out of the room.”

“Close the door.”

Wheeljack did as he was told. He took a few steps down the hallway, but tiptoed right back to the door. He pressed his ear to it and listened.

“ _You’re living in a hovel.”_

_“The house is fine-”_

_“Do not interrupt me.”_

A brief silence followed. Heeled footsteps tapped around the room. _“I did not spend years upon years of my life, hours upon hours of my valuable time, training you to be a slob. I know you have your issues Starscream, but you must learn to move past that. You are no longer a sparkling. Your fits and stubbornness are of no help to you. Do you have any idea what this union means?”_

“ _Yes, Mach-10.”_

“ _Then act like it! Primus, look at your house. Don’t think for a moment that I don’t know where all of those books and valuables have gone!”_

Then came the sharp sound of metal against metal.

Wheeljack pulled his ear away from the door. He just as quickly replaced it.

“ _You can’t break everything, Starscream. Your little hissy fits will not be tolerated. If you can’t act on your own then I’ll have to stay and oversee your behavior. It’s obvious that you-”_

_“Wheeljack disciplines me.”_

There was a long pause.

“ _Come again?”_

_“You want to stay to discipline me, right? Well, you don’t have to. Wheeljack does it.”_

Another pause.

“ _Does he?”_

_“Yes.”_

_“I haven’t seen any evidence. If this is another one of your lies-”_

_“It isn’t. If you stay long enough I’m sure you’ll see-”_ a short pause. _“I’m in good hands.”_

Wheeljack pulled his head away from the door and stepped away.

“Oh, that fragger,” he muttered. He huffed.

The door swung open. Mach-10 marched out first. “I want to see the grounds,” he declared, waltzing right past Wheeljack.

Starscream didn’t follow. He fell behind and grabbed Wheeljack’s arm.

“I know you were listening,” Starscream whispered.

“Yeah, me too. I ain’t gonna-”

“You are going to do whatever I say. Unless you want Mr. High and Mighty living with us for another year.”

Wheeljack chewed his lips. He groaned to himself. “Fine,” he spat. “But I ain’t gonna like it.”

“I don’t care.”

Wheeljack held his tongue. He couldn't imagine Starscream would like it much either. He's made his hatred for Wheeljack very clear. Having to pretend Wheeljack was in charge, or worse yet, a disciplinary figure, wouldn't be a walk in the park for either of them.

They hung far enough back so they could whisper and Mach-10 wouldn't hear.

"What am I supposed to do, exactly?" Wheeljack asked.

"Have you ever disciplined a sparkling?"

"Yes."

"Then do that. But 100x meaner."

"I am not mean when I disciplined sparklings. And you are not a sparkling."

"You asked me what to do and I told you. You were listening in on us? Just do what he did. And make it count. If it looks like he's about to say something mean, say it first."

"How will I be able to tell if he's about to say something mean?"

"He'll open his mouth."

Mach-10 lead them out of the house and onto the grounds. There was supposed to be a courtyard off the back of the house, but the space hardly made for one. The walkway was cobblestones, and the plots were empty. Where there were supposed to be beautiful crystal gardens there was dirt. The gizibo in the center was riddled with dust and rust, having not been cleaned in the last two weeks like it ought to have been.

Mach-10 walked all the way to the center of the courtyard before he turned around. He frowned, and opened his mouth to speak.

"Look at this mess!" Wheeljack said with too much gusto. He cleared his throat. "Uh- look at it," he pointed to the ground, giving Starscream the best angry face he could muster with a mask. "This is Garbage. And here I thought you was actually doing something. I don't remember asking for a patch of dirt."

Starscream bowed his head. "I'm sorry, darling. I haven't had time to get to the garden."

"I don't want apologies, I want action."

"Yes, darling."

"We'll talk about this more later."

"Yes, darling."

Wheeljack gave him a curt nod. "Good." He turned his attention to Mach-10. "Please. Let me show you my study. I think you'll be impressed with how well kept it is."

Mach-10 smiled. "Ah. So it's not organized by Starscream, I take it." He laughed at his own joke. Wheeljack laughed with him. He nearly placed his hand on the small of Mach-10's back as they made their way inside, but seemed to think better of it.

Starscream was lagging behind the both of them. Every once in a while Wheeljack would glance over his shoulder as if to make sure he was still there. On his back, Wheeljack's winglettes were restless. They twitched and flicked every direction. Going up and down, and fluttering around. He tried to keep them still, but they wouldn't cooperate.

Mach-10's wings fluttered on his back. His lip curled in an uncomfortably genuine smile. "So, Wheeljack, what do you do in your study? Are you a scholar?"

Wheeljack resisted the urge to take a step away. "No, an inventor."

"Oh, how interesting. I can't imagine you've invented anything useful, but all the same-" he shrugged. "Interesting. Any current projects?”

“Not really. I’ve been a bit-” Wheeljack threw a glance at Starscream. “Busy.”

“Hm. Yes, I imagine you have. I know how time consuming a growing family can be. I have fifteen wards of my own at the moment.”

Wheeljack’s finials blinked. “Fifteen?”

“That includes a newborn. They are especially time consuming.” Mach-10 smiled. “But you will never have to worry about that.”

Wheeljack leaned away. “Uh-huh.”

When they reached the door Wheeljack summoned a key from his subspace. He unlocked the door and pushed it open to let everyone inside. The office was clean, its walls lined with datapads and paper books. A dark metal desk sat in the center of the room, completely unscathed.

Starscream stepped into the room, his eyes locked on the shelf of paper books. Wheeljack could almost see the destructive hunger in his eyes. Mach-10 took one look at the room and turned his attention to Starscream.

“See, Starscream? This is how I expect the entire house to look.” Wheeljack said. “I know its hard for you, but I imagine you’ll learn in time.” Wheeljack winced at his own words, keeping his neck strained so he was facing Starscream.

Starscream’s lips twitched. He kept his expression neutral. “I will try to do better.”

“I expect you will.”

Mach-10 smiled. He mosied about the room running his hands over the edges of the books. “I’m glad to see you managed to preserve some of the priceless trades we’ve provided for you. Organic books are not easy to come by, you know. They’re wasted on your husband.”

Wheeljack nodded. “I preserved all the ones I could.”

Mach-10 let out a long sigh, letting his hand fall from the shelf. “Well, dear, this has been fun. But I’m afraid we’ve wasted enough hours on this tour. I need to prepare Starscream for the festivities tomorrow. It will take a few hours, you understand. He’s, hm, fidgety.”

“I understand.” Wheeljack stepped aside and gestured Starscream. “He’s all yours.”

Mach-10 strutted forward. He took Starscream by the arm and pulled him out of the room.

“I trust there’s a suitable place to prepare you, Starscream. Not your bedroom.’

“We can use one of the spare bedrooms.”

“One with a vanity, I hope.”

“They all have a vanity.”

“This is your final warning, Starscream. Your attitude is testing my patience.”

Wheeljack tried to keep up with them, but found he almost had to run in order to do so. He cursed seekers and their long legs.

Mach-10 looked over his shoulder. “Wheeljack, dear, you don’t have to come with us.”

“I know. I’m just curious what exactly yer gonna do.”

Mach-10 slowed down enough for Wheeljack to catch up. “Just doll him up, dear. Decide what we’re going to do for tomorrow. Starscream lacks the basic ability to dress himself for events such as this. Fortunately that's what I'm here for."

"Ah. Okay. Well, in that case, I should tag along, shouldn't I? After all, he is supposed to be in my hands from now on."

Mach-10 stopped. He turned halfway around. His fingers rubbed against his palm as he tried to keep the smile on his face. "Well. I suppose you have a point. Just don't get in the way."

"Wouldn't dream of it."

"And you will wait outside the door."

“Sure thing.”

Mach-10 opened every door in the house until he found a suitable room. It was a room Wheeljack had never seen before. The walls were decorated with a blue pattern, and had furniture to match. There were mirrors against two walls, and no windows.

“Ah, here it is. I thought I put one in here,” Mach-10 said. “Fortunate you didn’t find it first, Starscream.” He swung Starscream into the room. “It’s obvious to me that you haven’t been holding to my standards.” He shoved Starscream into a chair and rolled his eyes. “This will take ages. If you weren’t such a brat, it wouldn’t have to.”

Starscream’s claws dug into the arms of the chair. He stared at his lap. “I have been busy-”

“I don’t want your excuses. Or your back talk. You have not been taking care of your house, you’ve barely been pleasing your husband, and you look like a slob. That’s the end of it. There is no more discussion. I am one person, Starscream! You cannot rely on me forever.”

Starscream did not respond.

Mach-10 lifted his chin. “Let’s just begin. I’ve wasted enough time scolding you.” He pulled a thin wire brush from his subspace. “We will start with the rust spots.”

“I don’t have-”

“And you will be silent!”

Starscream’s mouth snapped shut.

Wheeljack stood by the door and watched Mach-10 use his small brush to scrub away anything that even resembled an imperfection on Starscream’s frame. The sharp wires scratched away paint and rust with ease. Starscream hardly flinched. He sneered and cringed, but he didn’t move unless Mach-10 moved him. In some spots Mach-10 scrubbed so fiercely it drew blood. He even did the delicate skin on Starscream’s face, the thinnest, most exposed place on the body.

Starscream held his bleeding jaw line and waited patiently for his handler to continue. Mach-10 pulled thin, almost translucent nanite patches out of his subspace. He cut them into carefully measured pieces and laid them over every rough spot he’d created. Once they were all laid he used a small hand held tool to burn them into the plating. Starscream gritted his teeth.

“Don’t be such a sparkling,” Mach-10 muttered, running his little device over the patches on Starscream’s face. “If you took care of yourself I wouldn’t even have to do this.”

Wheeljack checked his chrono. They’d already been at this for two hours, and it looked like they’d hardly done anything.

When Mach-10 finished with the patches he emptied his subspace onto one of the tables. Starscream rubbed at the patch at his jaw. Mach-10 snapped at him.

“Do not touch!”

Starscream’s hand dropped to his lap with a huff. Mach-10 returned with two tubes in hand. One he handed to Starscream, the other he kept. He squeezed a powder blue paste into his palm and rubbed it between his hands.

“Chin up.”

Starscream did as he was told. Mach-10 rubbed the paste into Starscream’s face. When he was done he swapped tubes. The second paste was light green. This one was rubbed into every plate and seam on Starscream’s body.

Wheeljack checked his chrono again.

Three hours.

It had been three hours.

“Wheeljack.”

Wheeljack’s fins blinked. He looked up and found Mach- 10 staring at him.

“Wheeljack, dear, you really don’t have to watch the entire process. You look bored as a rock in the desert.”

Wheeljack shook his head. “Oh no,” he leaned away from the door. “No, it’s fine. Like I said-”

“I know what you said,” Mach-10 twirled his hand in the air. “But frankly, this part is never something you’ll have to do. You’ll only ever have to learn how to spot the imperfections, not take care of them.” He laughed at his own sour joke.

Wheeljack took a step back. “Yeah, sure. Ha. I think I’m gonna get myself a drink. You want one?”

“I do not.”

Wheeljack stepped out of the room. He rounded the corner but didn’t go far. The kitchen was in a different wing of the house.

Wheeljack figured the room had no windows. It was surrounded by hallways on all sides, which meant-

“ _It’s good you have someone so strict to keep you on your toes.”_

_“Permission to speak?”_

_“You may.”_

_“I am fortunate.”_

_“He may be a useless grounder but at least he has a firm hand. Something I can hardly say for you_.”

There was a short pause.

Starscream’s voice was barely audible.

_“I am trying.”_

Wheeljack nearly pulled his head away at the sound of metal slapping metal. 

_“No you’re not!”_ Mach-10 muttered something Wheeljack couldn’t hear. _“Do you know how I know that, Starscream? Because I raised you. I know exactly how much effort you put into everything, and it’s none. You’ve always been the lazy one. Why do you think we married you off to a grounder?”_

_“Because you wanted to get rid of me.”_

Mach-10s voice became sickeningly sweet. “ _Oh, dear. Don’t put it so harshly. You’re serving your people,” his voice became firm. “It’s the least you could do, considering how useless you’ve been so far.”_

A brief pause followed.

“ _Don’t think for a moment that giving you away was easy for me. You take after me, you know. I was once unrefined and bratty and stubborn. But I grew out of it. I would have given you more time, Starscream, but you don’t have that luxury. You’re married now, you have a husband, and soon you’ll be carrying-”_

_“And you will have another ward.”_

_“That’s right.”_ Mach-10 took in a long vent. “ _Although, I have considered giving your sparkling to Mach-2-”_

“ _No!”_

_“Then you best behave.”_

_“And you’ll give it to Mach-7?”_

_“Oh, dear. I don’t know if I’m that generous.”_

_“Please. Wheeljack is a decent mech, his sparkling-”_

_“Your sparkling will go wherever I put it. Now hush. We still have a lot of work to do.”_

There was a long pause between them. The only sound was the little tinks of metal against metal. Wheeljack was about to pull his ear away, when a small voice caught him.

“ _Will I at least get to name him?”_

Mach-10 took a moment to respond.

His voice was soft. Sincere, even, as if he were comforting his child.

“ _Oh, Starscream, dear,"_ he cooed. " _Of course not."_


	4. The Machs

_“Why so close-”_

_“Shh. Because he might be listening.”_

_“Okay.”_

_“We need a plan for tomorrow.”_

_“What kinda plan?”_

_“What you’re going to say. How you’re going to act.”_

_“Am I meetin’ the rest’a the family?"_

_“You’ll be meeting the Machs. I can’t imagine they’ll like you much if you act all goody goody.”_

_“I’m sorry I can’t be like them.”_

_“...You shouldn’t be. Ten is going to pull me away to check me. A doctor will check for a sparkling.”_

_“I know how to take care of that."_

_“Oh, so you’re contributing to our little rouse for once?”_

_“Maybe. I got a guy on the inside. I know how to get around this whole sparkling debacle.”_

Starscream was silent for a long time.

_“It’s a grounder, isn’t it?”_

_“Yeah.”_

_“I won’t be touched-”_

_“He won’t even have to touch you. I promise.”_

Starscream shifted so his voice was right in Wheeljack’s ear.

_“If he does it will be your head.”_

* * *

There was music playing outside.

Wheeljack could hear it through the door.

The brakes on the transport squealed to a stop. The crowd flailed behind the barriers. Behind them, the gates closed. Wheeljack stared out the window, the light of day hindered by the dark tint on the glass. His door opened, allowing the band’s tune to pour into the transport. Wheeljack stepped out and walked around the back of the car with the servant who was opening doors.

As soon as Starscream’s door was open Wheeljack offered him his hand. Starscream had to pull his stray cloak out from between the seats as he got out. They walked arm and arm to the door. The roar of the crowd was like white noise. It was hardly as striking as it used to be. Two weeks ago the people had cheered for their union, and they cheered today, as the couple ascended the slate grey steps of the union hall. A hall built with the notion of peace in mind. Built in their honor.

Starscream’s cape was not nearly as long as the one he’d been forced to wear for their wedding. This cape only graced the ground, where the other one had embraced it.

Mach-10 had not been happy to learn that Starscream’s wedding cape had been torn. He chose to play it safe this time around, and dress Starscream is something much less breakable. This cape was clasped to Starscream’s shoulders with circular golden clasps, each with one, large, red, ruby in the center. The cape itself was a silver mesh, but it had an outer layer made of bismuth shards.

As soon as they arrived at the top of the ballroom steps, they stopped and waited to be announced. Every set of eyes landed on them. The attention stung. It tickled the plating in the most unpleasant way. Wheeljack squirmed under the attention. Starscream gripped his arm tighter.

“Wheeljack of Iacon, and his Conjux, Starscream of Vos.”

The room erupted in applause as they descended into the marble clad ballroom. Their steps parted the crowd. Starscream smiled and waved at the Iaconian and Vosian people. Wheeljack lead them to their designated seats where they would watch the party instead of participating in it. Once everyone greeted them and congratulated them, then they would be permitted to participate in the festivities.

The chairs were tall and covered in organic fabric. They sat on a two step pedestal.

Wheeljack helped Starscream into his seat before taking his own.

As soon as they were seated a flurry of seekers approached the pedestal. They all had their noses in the air and their hands clasped behind their back. They approached in a group, but arrived in a line.

Wheeljack recognized the first seeker who approached them.

“Wheeljack,” said Mach-10, nodding his head. He bowed at the waist. “I do hope you enjoy the ball. Even if your partner is acting as though he is being tortured throughout.”

Wheeljack glanced at Starscream, who was almost vibrating with pent up rage.

Wheeljack forced himself to smile. “Thanks, Mach-10. Right back at ya.”

Mach-10 chuckled. “Oh, you grounders and your- unique. Way of speaking.” He stepped down and made way for the other seekers.

The next seeker was purple and black and had green eyes. His plating was so well polished, Wheeljack could see a clear reflection of himself in the seekers wings.

“Mach-6. Charmed, I’m sure” he said, his tone betraying his words. He bent at the waist and touched his fingers to his chest. “Wheelhack was it?”

“Wheeljack.”

“I like my name better.” Mach-6 opened his mouth wide and began to laugh. Behind him the other seekers rolled their eyes and shook their heads. “I’m joking! Wheeljack is a fine name. For a grounder name. Has a, hmmmmmm, ring to it that I like.”

“Thanks. And you were?”

“Mach-6. Don’t get me confused with Mach-3, he is also purple. But far less stylish.”

“Uh-huh.”

Mach-6 bowed his head again, then stepped down. After him came a pink and yellow seeker whose voice was harsh and airy, not dissimilar to Starscream’s.

“Mach-9. Wonderful to meet you. You’ve been married two weeks now, right? Wonderful ceremony, wonderful. Just wonderful. I coordinated the music for that, you know. Just a wonderful score. Wonderful. Have you thought of any sparkling names yet? If you need help, I’ve got an entire list here in my subspace, here why don’t you take a look at it,” he unrolled the list across Wheeljack’s lap and pointed out one name after the other. Wheeljack couldn’t get a single word in.

“Mach-9,” Starscream said, loud enough to make it over the rambling.

Mach-9 turned his attention to Starscream. “Yes, Starscream, I don’t remember anyone speaking to you but what do you need-”

“Mach-6 was just telling me how much he would absolutely love to hear that story you told him from your school days again.”

“Oh, he did! Wonderful, just wonderful. It was lovely meeting you, Wheelhack, and Starscream if you’d quit being such a brat your spark wont be so stressed and you’ll have a much much easier time getting sparked. Okay? Alright, I must go find Mach-5. I must.”

“Of course Mach-9.”

Mach-9 folded up his list of sparkling names and scurried off. As soon as he was gone Wheeljack leaned over to Starscream and whispered. “Is he always like that.”

Starscream chuckled, placing a warm hand on his conjux’s arm. “Oh, Wheeljack, dear, you’re so funny.” He spoke through his teeth. “Yes.”

The next seeker who greeted them was green and blue. He bowed at the waist and smiled the most genuine smile Wheeljack had seen all evening. There was a twinkle in this seekers eyes, that betrayed their somber glow. He held out his hand for Wheeljack to shake.

“Mach-7, lovely to meet you. I hope your week hasn’t been too stressful.” He turned his attention to Starscream. “Starscream, dear, how are you feeling? I know how you get with crowds.”

Starscream shook his head. “I could always be better.”

Mach-7 sighed. “I was afraid of such a thing. Don’t ever hesitate to call, I’m always around, you know.” He looked at Wheeljack, but addressed Starscream. “I trust your husband is treating you well.”

Starscream reached out and took Mach-7’s hand. “Yes,” Starscream said. “He has been wonderful.” He lowered his voice. “But Mach-10 doesn’t know that.”

Mach-7 nodded. “Alright,” he whispered. He smiled at Wheeljack. “Again, lovely meeting you. I hope we cross paths again.”

Then came another purple and black seeker, this one with red eyes. He shook Wheeljack’s hand.

“Mach-3, great to meet you. You know, I thought it was just great when they announced that the person who would save our race from war was Starscream. I’d hardly seen him do a thing, but saving his entire people! What a feat,” he looked at Starscream. “Hats off to you and Mach-10, ey, Screamer?”

Starscream smiled with half his mouth. “Thank you, Mach-3, that means a lot.”

“It sure does.” He turned his attention back to Wheeljack. “And you. Not much the looker. I hope you’re better in bed.”

Another seeker stormed from the rear. “Dear Primus, Three!” An orange and green seeker shoved Mach-3 off the pedestal. “Must you be so crass.” He made a shooing motion with the back of his hands. “Away, go away! You inappropriate little heathen.”

Mach-3 sneered, but stepped off.

The orange seeker huffed, watching him go. He placed one hand on his hip and bowed quickly at the waist. “Mach-8, nice to make your acquaintance, Wheeljack. Starscream. I hope you get to enjoy at least some of the food before these harpys devour the entire smorgasbord. I won’t keep you, you’re almost at the end.”

After Mach-8 left Wheeljack was greeted by a teal and white seeker.

“Mach-5. And your name?”

“Wheeljack.”

“Wheelhack, got it.”

“No, Wheel _jack_.”

“Wheelhack, yes, I heard you. And I’m Mach-5.” He bowed his head. “How is married life treating you? Well, I hope.”

“It’s been great so far.”

Mach-5 wagged his finger. “You know, you’re a lucky man, Wheelhack. Starscream is one of the prettiest seekers Mach-10 has ever had. He has such nice plating. Hardly gets rust spots. Did you know rust spots run in seeker blood? We’re horribly susceptible to them.”

“I did not know that.”

Mach-5 flapped his hand. “Oh yes, it’s just awful. I have to scrape rust spots off my aft every morning. I’m thinking it must be my berthpad, but everytime I replace it nothing changes.”

Wheeljack nodded. “That’s unfortunate.”

“It is, isn’t it? Oh you’re so charming, Wheeljack. Starscream certainly got lucky with you, it seems. You’re certainly better than he deserves.”

After Mach-5 left, a green and purple seeker stepped onto the pedestal.

“Mach-4. Very pleased to make your acquaintance, Wheeljack.”

“You as well, Mach-4.”

Starscream scoffed. Mach-4’s wings sprung all the way up. “You have something to say, Starscream?”

“No, Mach-4. I was just clearing my throat.”

“Sure you were.” Mach-4 smiled at Wheeljack. “I'm sorry you have to spend the rest of your life with him.”

“Mach-4.”

At the sound of the new voice Mach-4 stood stalk straight. He looked over his shoulder and his wings went all the way down.

A gold and white seeker parted the lingering Machs. As he came forth they all lowered their heads and put their wings down. He came to the bottom of the steps, but still loomed over everyone present. He narrowed his eyes at Mach-4.

“You’re not giving them trouble already, are you?”

Mach-4 quickly shook his head. “No no, of course not. Never.”

“Good. Then leave us.”

“Of course.” Mach-4 scurried away.

There was something different about this new seeker. He was larger, at least two heads taller than the rest of the seekers. His wings were broad, and his face was scarred and wrinkled, not soft and young like the others. His nose was off center, and scars riddled his plating. He did not bow at the waist, nor did he bow his head.

“Wheeljack,” his voice was deep and booming. “So this is the suitor they chose for my Starscream.” He sneered. “A grounder.”

“Yes. And you are?”

“You will watch your tone, grounder. I am Mach-1.” He waved his hand out over the crowd of Machs. “I am the leader of these people. I was there when your conjux was born. I gave him his name.” He narrowed his eyes. “He still had so much life, and now he is chained to you. I hope this union was worth it.”

“He can live within the union.”

“He should live among his people. A grounder’s house is no place for a Seeker.” Mach-1 did not wait for a response. He addressed Starscream. “Starscream. How do you fair with your husband?”

“He treats me well, Mach-1.”

“I trust he does. His life, and the life of his people, depends on it. Is Mach-10 still giving you trouble?”

Starscream glanced out to the crowd. Mach-10 was mere feet away, watching.

Starscream shook his head, staring at his lap. “No, Mach-1.”

Mach-1 took a knee and grabbed both of Starscream’s hands in one of his own. He leaned in close to Starscream’s downtrodden face, and spoke in a hushed voice.

“You do not have to defend him, Starscream. You do not have to lie to me. You are no longer part of his flock.”

“I know, Mach-1. But Mach-10 only does what he does because he cares.”

Mach-1 closed his eyes and sighed. “If you insist.” he muttered. He moved to stand, but Starscream’s hand caught him.

“Mach-1?”

“Yes, Starscream?”

“Where is Mach-2?”

“I’m afraid he won’t be attending today’s ball. He had too much going on at the mansion.”

Starscream nodded. “I see.”

Mach-1 nodded. He patted the back of Starscream’s hand. “I hope to see you again soon. I look forward to meeting your kin.” He stood up and turned to leave.

Starscream nearly jumped out of his seat. “Mach-1.”

“Yes, Starscream?”

“When my sparkling is born. Would it be so out of line for me to ask that Mach-7 take it?”

Mach-1’s jaw clenched. “It is not so out of line. But I must at least consider Mach-10’s decision. It is only fair.”

Starscream leaned back in his chair. “I can only ask that you consider mine.”

“Rest assured, I will not forget our conversation here. Now please. Enjoy the ball. We will see eachother again.”

Mach-1 turned and disappeared into the crowd.

Wheeljack leaned over and whispered. “What is all this talk of taking your sparkling.”

“Hush. We’re not done yet.”

“We’re not done talking about this.”

“We’re not having a sparkling, so what does it matter?”

Wheeljack sat back in his chair. “Now you get to endure my guys.”

“They can’t possibly be as bad as the Machs.”

Wheeljack took a quick vent through his teeth. “Oh, I dunno about that. They’re just a different kind of insufferable, that’s all.”

“And they’re all grounders I bet.”

Wheeljack smirked. “Not all of ‘em.”

They sat watching the festivities. People waded about the ballroom. They hung around tables of food, sipping their drinks and making small talk with similar people. Wheeljack couldn’t help but notice that the people of the Decepticon state stayed on one half of the room, and the people from the Autobot state stayed on the other half of the room.

It appeared as though their union was truly making a difference.

“Are your men going to come greet me or will I be forced to go to them?” Starscream asked.

“They’ll come. Just wait. Guy who I’m bettin’ will be your favorite is probably gonna arrive first.”

Just as soon as the words left Wheeljack’s mouth, a large, boxy, red mech stormed towards them.

“Not him.” Wheeljack whispered.

The red mech stuck his hand hand out to Starscream and wore a crooked smile.

“Ironhide, mighty fine ta meet ya.”

Starscream, like a civilized being, shook Ironhide’s hand and smiled.

“Charmed,” Starscream purred, leaning forward. He fluttered his wings. “Ironhide. What a lovely name. Very tough.”

“Thank ya kindly,” Ironhide stood up straight so he was at eye level with the couple. “Yer married to a fine mech here, Starscream. Best inventor I ever met.”

Starscream leaned back and crossed his legs. He placed his hand over Wheeljacks. “So far I’ve seen nothing but the best from him.”

“I expect you’ll find nothin’ less.”

Starscream fluttered his eyes. “Wow, you speak so highly of him. What relation are you?”

Ironhide slapped a fist into his chest. “Head Guard of the Scientists Guild.”

Starscream’s false expression dropped. “The scientists guild?” He looked to Wheeljack for answers, but got none.

Ironhide looked around the room. “I’ll round up the crew. No doubt they’re distractin’ themselves.”

Ironhide bounded off.

Starscream took the opportunity to address his husband.

“What did he mean by Scientists Guild? You are supposed to be from a wealthy family-”

“I am wealthy. I just came from a guild.” Wheeljack furrowed his brow. “Why? What does it matter?”

“The Seekers are very particular. If they think that the Autobot state has married me off based on false information-”

Wheeljack finally looked at him. “I came from a guild. That’s my influential family. But my fortune is my own. The agreement never said anything about money, is talked about influence.”

“Influence is money!”

Starscream was interrupted when he found a line of grounders had suddenly appeared in front of him.

“Starscream?” A red and blue bot was taking a knee before him. “It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

Starscream tried to put his smile back on, but it faltered. He could only manage to smile with half of his mouth. “Yes. Yes, it’s just lovely to meet you. And you are?”

“Perceptor. I was a close friend to Wheeljack in the guild. Amazing what he’s done with his life. To be here, now, especially. Quite a feat.”

“Oh? I-I had no idea he was so impressive outside of the berth.”

The smile dropped off of Perceptors face. Behind him ironhide started to laugh so hard his vents wheezed.

Starscream pulled his hand away. “I didn’t mean to say that.”

Wheeljack caught Starscream’s hand. “Dear? Are you feeling okay?”

Starscream pulled his hand out of Wheeljack’s grip. He looked between Wheeljack and Perceptor. His vents picked up pace, the room suddenly seemed so small. So crowded. As if everyone were moving in one him.

Starscream stood up, knocking over his chair.

The room stopped.

“I-I-” Starscream scanned the room for the closest door. “I need a moment!” he screeched. He flew from the pedestal and made his escape. A frozen crowd laid in his wake.

They all looked at Wheeljack.

“Uhh-” He stuttered. “I’ll go get him.”

Wheeljack didn’t make it to the door first. The first person to make it to the door was Mach-1, with Mach-10 not far behind him. Neither of them made it to Starscream. Mach-10 grabbed Mach-1 by the arm. Wheeljack didn’t hear the argument that followed. He slipped into the hallway and followed the path of destruction that lead him to a different door.

The door was locked.

“Fragger. How did you even lock this?” Wheeljack muttered. He banged on the door. “Come on, Starscream open up! We’re makin’ a scene.”

The door opened, a hand shot out and grabbed Wheeljack by the chest plate and pulled him into the room. Starscream locked the door behind them.

Wheeljack whipped around. “What is wrong with you?”

Starscream’s claws dug into the door. “Shut up. Just shut up.” He punched the wall and turned around. “Do you have any idea what the Machs will do to me if they think they’ve been tricked! If they think they’ve married me off to a big fat nobody!”

Wheeljack stormed forward. “What are you talkin’ about, a nobody. A nobody!? Listen, Starscream, I’ve been pretty tolerant of all yer shit! But nobody calls me a nobody, nobody! I came from nothing, and I made something of myself!” He swiped his hand through the air. “I made sure everybody knew who the hell I was! I’m everything they said I was.” He grabbed Starscream by the arms and shook him. “So they ain’t gonna do anything ta you, understand!”

Starscream shoved him away. “Get off of me!”

Wheeljack stumbled backwards. He caught himself on a stray table. Starscream pointed a sharp finger at him.

“Your stupid state is full of dirty liars. They just wanted this stupid deal to go through as soon as possible, didn’t they!?”

“Hey, I didn’t ask for this! You think I wanna be married to some mansion brat who knocks shit over when he gets upset? You think I wanted any of this? That I raised my hand and told ‘em to pick me?” Wheeljack paced around the room, ignoring the puddle of Starscream on the floor. Wheeljack growled to himself. “You want money? You want influence? You want the guy who made sure all the buildings in Iacon aren’t gonna fall down, you got him! I had so much going for me, and now I’m just the guy who married Starscream! And that’s it.” Wheeljack flipped the table. “This isn’t what I worked me whole life for!”

Wheeljack’s vents haved. He could hardly hear himself think. But the tension that had built up in his frame was gone. The weight that had been keeping him upright lifted itself off of him, and let him fall to his knees.

A small voice caught his ear.

“I did.”

Wheeljack didn't respond right away. He looked halfway over his shoulder. “What?”

Starscream picked his head up off the door. “I did,” he said, loud enough to hear. He placed both hands on the floor and got a leg under himself. He wobbled to his feet with the help of the wall. “This is what Mach-10 has been training me for since I was a juvenile. This,” he pointed to the ground. “Right here.” His face was slack, but his words were not muttered. The brightness he had forced into his eyes was entirely gone. They drooped with his mouth. “This is what they were training me to do. And if it didn’t work out? They would send me to fight on the front lines, and I’d be dead within minutes.” He shook his head and kicked at the carpet, hooking his hand over the back of the opposite arm. “That was it. That’s all the aspiration I ever got to have. Not dying. It’s all I ever had to look forward to.”

Starscream closed his eyes and leaned against the door.

Wheeljack stared at his own lap. He climbed to his feet and turned halfway around, to study the melting figure of his conjux.

“I don’t know if now is the best time to talk.” Wheeljack muttered.

Starscream shrugged. “No time but the present,” he glanced around the room. “There’s a berth in here.” He checked the door handle. “The door is locked.” He pushed himself away from the wall and shuffled towards Wheeljack. “We can claim we were having an intimate moment.”

Wheeljack back up until his legs hit the berth. He sat down.

“I think maybe we are.”


	5. The Ball

_“Why is Mach-1 in charge?”_

_“That’s a stupid question.”_

* * *

Starscream presented his elegant clawd hand to the next grounder who came before his pedestal. “Starscream. Wonderful to meet you.”

The white and black grounder hardly put on a smile. He took the hand offered to him and bowed his forehead to it. “Yes, good to make your acquaintance. I’ve been eager to meet Wheeljack’s conjux for a while now.”

“And you are?”

“Prowl.”

“How are you and Wheeljack- uh- acquainted.”

“I was cheif of security at the guild.”

“Oh dear, is there anyone Wheeljack knows who isn’t from the guild?”

“I tend to doubt it. He never had many friends.”

“Hm.”

* * *

_“Not really. He’s one. There are 20 machs. It doesn’t make sense.”_

_“The ranking goes backwards. The higher the number you have, the less power you have. That’s why Mach-10 is so bitter all the time. He has less power than Mach-7, and he hates Mach-7. It infuriates him.”_

* * *

“Brainstorm, great to meet you, you know Wheeljack and I were pretty good friends when we were in the guild together.”

Starscream tugged his hand out of Brainstorm’s and wagged away the ache. Starscream forced a smile. “Heh. Oh were you?” He crossed one leg and leaned forward, balancing his head on his palm. “And what did you do in the guild?”

“I mostly dabbled in physics. Quantum physics to be exact, but also applied physics, because I am just that good.” Even with a mask, it was obvious how wide Brainstorm’s smile was.

* * *

_“Mach-7 seems okay.”_

_“Mach-7 is a beacon of light in a sea of horrible. But not as bright a beacon as One.”_

* * *

Starscream sat back in his seat with a triumphant smile on his face. He side eyed Wheeljack and wiggled in his seat.

“I think I’m doing pretty good so far.”

“Just you wait.”

An entirely white bot stood in front of them and bowed at the waist. Only small parts of him were blotted with a touch of blue.

“Quark,” he said. “Very nice to meet you.”

“And you as well, Quark.”

* * *

_“You ever miss home?”_

_“Yes. But not everything about it. I miss my bed.”_

_“We don’t have to share a bed, ya know.”_

_“I know.”_

* * *

“You’re right, you’re guys aren’t nearly as bad as mine.”

“So far.”

“Why do you keep saying that?”

“Because, they’re all pretty good actors. But one of ‘em doesn’t act.”

Starscream nodded his head from one shoulder to the other. “I bet I can guess who that is.”

* * *

_“And I miss One. And, if I’m being honest, which I am, I miss all of Mach-10s little brats.”_

_“Who’s One?”_

_“Mach-1, stupid.”_

* * *

Starscream had to wait ten minutes for another Autobot to come and greet him. He was sitting in his chair, legs crossed, not a care in the world, when someone shoved their hand in his face.

“Nautica, pleasure to meet you.”

Starscream hurried to right himself, and took the hand offered to him. “Nautica. I'm assuming you also come from the guild?”

“I do. Engineering.” She threw a smirk in Wheeljack’s direction. “I taught your conjux everything he knows.”

Wheeljack bolted upright. “Excuse you.” He looked at Starscream. “She’s a liar. She literally took my class.”

Starscream furrowed his brow. “You taught a class?”

“Once. Never again. Not at the guild, at the academy.”

“The what?”

* * *

_“Why do you call him One?”_

_“Because he lets me.”_

_“Pretty familiar name.”_

_“We’re not talking about Mach-1.”_

_“Okay.”_

* * *

Starscream shifted in his chair. “Ugh. I hate these chairs. Couldn’t they have gotten something more comfortable for the saviors of the race.”

“We don’t get comfortable chairs till it’s saved.”

“You’re telling me it’s not?”

“Optimus and Megatron still haven’t officially signed a treaty.”

“What do you mean they haven't signed a treaty? If they haven’t signed anything then what are we doing here?”

“Yer not gonna freak out of me again, are you?”

Starscream turned in his chair. “No. One flip out of the night is enough for me,” he gestured the room. “And I’m sure it was more than enough for all of them.”

Wheeljack itched the side of his leg with the heel of his foot. “Yeah, technically our union was just to create good blood. The two big guys are still fightin’ their own little private war. I’m sure it’ll pass soon and they’ll have everything taken care of.”

Starscream scoffed. He flopped back in his seat and rested his cheek on his hand. “You haven’t met Megatron. He’s a stubborn afthead.”

“You’d say that about yer own leader?”

Starscream flapped his hand. “Megatron is no leader of mine.”

* * *

_“Anymore questions?”_

_“Whos yer favorite?”_

_“My favorite what?”_

_“Mach.”_

_“You know my favorite Mach.”_

_“Ten?”_

_“Don’t even joke about that.”_

_“Seven, then.”_

_“It’s One. And you won’t get me to talk about him, so drop it. Ask about something else.”_

* * *

“Nightbeat. I’m an investigator.”

Starscream took the hand shoved in his face and gave it a brief shake. He smiled with half his mouth. “Nightbeat. Pleasure. An investigator. So you weren’t part of a guild?”

“Of scientists? I was. I was briefly associated with them as a forensic scientist. I was there long enough to get to know Wheeljack pretty well, I’d say.”

Wheeljack rolled his eyes. He leaned over to Starscream. “He went through everyone's stuff.”

Nightbeat frowned. “Not true. I went through everyone's trash. That’s completely different.”

Wheeljack nodded. “Yer right. It’s a whole lot weirder.”

“That’s rich coming from a guy who also went through people's trash.”

“I never went through individual people’s trash, I just went through the guild's collective dumpster. So there.”

Starscream muttered to his husband. “I don’t know if that was much of a ‘so there’ moment, Wheeljack.”

* * *

_“When you get old enough do you help take care of the little ones?”_

_“Sort of. Not really. You’re treated like a child until you leave the mansion. You don’t help raise the sparkling, but if they’re crying and both Machs are busy, you tend to them.”_

* * *

Starscream fluttered his wings and let out a long vent. "How many more?"

"Only two. Then Optimus, probably."

Starscream wagged his finger at the crowd. "And which one of those was supposed to be my favorite?" He teased, turning in his chair so he was facing Wheeljack.

"Lord Starscream?"

Starscream turned forward. His eyes went wide at the white chassis in front of him. He blinked at the crotch directly across from his face. It turned into a chest when the mech knelt down, but Starscream still had to strain his neck looking upwards just to catch a glimpse of the mechs face.

A massive hand was presented to him.

"It is an honor to make your acquaintance."

Starscream placed his hand in the larger, but was hardly paying attention. He was transfixed with the handsome set of blue optics, and the broad, beautiful set of massive wings.

"I'm Skyfire."

Starscream bit his lip, his face warming under Skyfires pleasant gaze. Starscream scooted to the edge of his chair. His knee nearly brushed Skyfires own.

"Starscream," Starscream purred, his gaze darting between Skyfires wings and eyes. "An absolute treat." Starscream snickered despite himself, unaware of the sultry smirk he was wearing. He leaned in close so his face was mere inches from Skyfires lowered head.

Skyfire smiled. Starscream's heart fluttered.

Skyfire made a move to stand up. "I shouldn't keep you."

Starscream held fast to the shuttles hand. "Not at all. What do you do in the guild?"

"Oh, biology. Nothing exciting-"

"That sounds very interesting. I'd love to hear more."

* * *

_“When do you leave the mansion?”_

_“If you leave, you leave after you get your name.””_

_“If? When do you get yer name?”_

_“Depends on who your Mach is. Mach-10 does it when his brats hit adulthood, Mach-7 does it well after. He likes to actually prepare his sparklings for life after the mansion.”_

_“Does everyone leave the mansion?”_

_“No. Sometimes they become Machs, or servants, or nannys. “_

_“I thought you didn’t have nannies.”_

_“We do for the little little newborns. The new sparklings, just out of the gestation chamber. They feed them and make sure they don’t die. Machs have up to twenty brats to attend to at a time. Taking care of something so fragile and new is a hazard.”_

* * *

Starscream’s fleeting satisfaction walked away with Skyfire. The ball was beginning to drag. Even Wheeljack seemed to be affected. They both slumped in their seats and crossed and uncrossed their ankles or their legs. Starscream’s talon’s tapped rhythmically against the arm of the chair.

“Is this Optimus character ever going to come greet me?”

“You got one more comin’ before Optimus.”

Starscream sat up straight. “Right,” he drawled. “The Notorious-”

“Ratchet.” The red and white bot bowed at the waist. “And you are Starscream.”

Starscream blinked. He cleared his throat. “I am. I’ve heard about you.”

Ratchet cocked a brow. “Really? That’s a surprise.” He threw a glance at Wheeljack. “I thought you two never said two words to eachother.”

Starscream smirked. “Amazing how quickly things change.”

* * *

_“I still don’t get it.”_

_“What?”_

_“Why they do it like this.”_

_“Is that a question?”_

_“Yeah. Why do they do it like this?”_

_“I don’t know.”_

_“It ain’t in any history books-”_

_“You said you came from nothing.”_

_“Okay, apparently we’re talking about me now.”_

_“What did you mean by that?”_

* * *

“One spat in a bedroom is all it takes I guess.”

Starscream scoffed. “If only.”

“Right. You still have to live with eachother. How’s that going?”

“I wanted to gauge my eyes out for the first two weeks, but I imagine it’ll be marginally better once we return after the ball.”

“I can’t imagine it’ll be any easier once the little one arrives.”

Starscream’s wing twitched, but his smile stayed on. “Pardon?”

“I will be doing your examination, Starscream. I know what they want me to find.”

Starscream pressed himself into the back of the chair. “And here I thought you didn’t act.” He whispered.

Ratchet leaned forward. “I only play along.”

Starscream leaned forward and spoke in his ear. “Last time I checked, that was acting.”

* * *

_“Well, not dissimilar to you, I never knew my creators. My carrier died giving birth to me, my sire dropped me off at an orphanage. I did have a name, though. I like to think my carrier gave it to me, but I don’t know. I’ll never know.”_

_“Aw, what a nice sob story.”_

_“Ey, you asked. When I was little I escaped the orphanage and ran away. Lived on the streets for a year or two-”_

_“How old were you?”_

_“Oh- I dunno. Five hundred, give or take.”_

_“You were young.”_

* * *

Ratchet didn’t leave.

He hung around the pedestal and watched the party move on. He, meanwhile, stared with disinterest at the laughing and dancing guests. Every few minutes Starscream would glance with his eyes to see if the doctor was still there, which he always was. With Ratchet’s back halfway to him, Starscream had the opportunity to study him. Ratchet’s posture was straight, his arms were crossed. The lines on his face suggested the crease in his brow was a frequent expression. That, and the stony expression on his face that tugged his lips down in the corners.

“Lord Starscream.”

Starscream blinked. He didn’t look away from Ratchet. “Yes?”

“Lord Starscream?”

Starscream turned his attention forward. He pulled back when he found a red and blue bot knelt before him. “Oh. Uh-” He shook off his frazzled look and smirked. He clapped his hands together. “Oh. You must be the famous Optimus Prime,” he said, his voice hitting the same sweet octave Mach-10’s hit when he was being completely dishonest.

“I am.” Optimus presented one of his hands. “It is an hour to meet you. I have been eager to see the suitor they chose for our beloved Wheeljack.”

Starscream chuckled, placing his hand in the Prime’s. “Beloved? He seemed so, with all of the people I had to meet. Once I’m finished with him he’ll be equally beloved in the Decepticon state.”

Optimus stood, taking Starscream’s hand with him. “I can only hope. You and Wheeljack enjoyed your honeymoon, I hope.”

Starscream fired a gaze at Wheeljack, then returned his smile to Optimus.

“It was just riveting.”

* * *

_“Waaay too young. But I wasn’t alone for long. One night I snuck into a building to keep warm. Fell asleep in an attic on the floor. When I woke up I was in a bed. A guy was sittin’ in a chair next to me, didn’t look up from his datapad once when he was speakin’ ta me. He said I could stay so long as I didn’t steal anything.”_

_“Did you steal anything?”_

_“Oh yeah. But never any of the science stuff. Just food. I’d give it to the kids on the street."_

_“Did that guy ever find out?”_

_“That guy is Ratchet, and yes he did, because he finds out about everything. He told me that if I wanted to take some extra food I could, I just had to ask. Originally they let me work to earn my bed, but one day while I was in the labs I started fiddlin’ with stuff. They weren’t very happy with me at first, but the next thing I know I’m part of the guild.”_

* * *

Wheeljack observed Optimus and Starscream’s interraction. There was no attempt to be subtle about it, Wheeljack just stared at them. He’d even given up on sitting properly, instead opting to cross his ankles under his chair. They’d been there for almost three hours already, and all they;d gotten out of it was a lot of rude seekers, smiley Autobots, and an intimate moment.

“Wheeljack.”

The rough, gurgly voice barking his name nearly threw Wheeljack from his seat. His head snapped forward. “Yeah?”

A tall, square, grey figure stood in front of the pedestal. He Stood with his shoulders square and his jaw clenched. His lips were pulled into a taut line. There were creases on either side of his chin where he wore his frown. It almost reminded Wheeljack of Ratchet, but this face was far too mean. The cold red eyes held no warmth.

“Megatron, Leader of the Decepticon state. You may call me Lord Megatron.”

Wheeljack’s finials blinked. “Oh. Yer that guy.” He nearly slapped himself. “I mean-” he bowed at the waist and placed his hand to his chest. “It is an hour to meet you, Lord Megatron.”

“You should be made aware that this union was the Prime’s idea. It does little to mend the bond between the states.”

Wheeljack bit his lip behind his mask. “I can’t imagine it would. But I believe in small steps, and I am hopeful our sparklings can live in a world not toiled by war, Lord Megatron.”

“That is a fair desire, Wheeljack, but I am reluctant to assure you it will come to fruition.”

“All I can do is hope, then.”

“So it seems.”

* * *

_“Seekers don’t have guilds, fun fact.”_

_“That why you thought I came from some nothing organization.”_

_“What can I say? We were taught to think anything that wasn’t royalty was below us.”_

_“Ya know, guilds work for royalty.”_

_“Which means the Machs would still consider it to be below us.”_

_“Will they still be mad if they knew I worked directly for our ruler and made an enormous fortune all on my own? Granted, thanks to the Guild, but still.”_

* * *

Once the two leaders were sated with their greeting, they both walked off. As soon as they were gone Starscream stood up. He placed his hand on his back and bent backwards, his face contorting when there came an audible pop. he slumped forward for a breif moment before reclaiming his stalk stiff posture.

“Come, husband, we can finally enjoy the ball.”

“Yeah, okay, husband,” Wheeljack grunted, trying to get a crick out of his shoulder. “Just give me a second.” He shook off his limbs, banishing the ache to the floor. “Whew. Okay. Let’s go.”

They locked arms. As soon as they stepped off the pedestal Mach-10 was there. He placed one hand on Starscream’s shoulder, and smiled at Wheeljack.

“So sorry, dear,” he said. “But Starscream and I need to have a private conversation.”

Wheeljack stepped in front of Starscrem, and side stepped to put himself between him and Mach-10.

Mach-10 smile dropped.

“I’m sorry, Mach-10, but I’m afraid I take priority here. Starscream and I haven’t had a second on the floor. More than one person is waiting for me and him to make our rounds.”

Mach-10 tried to put his smile back on, but it fell with every other word. “Wheeljack, I understand your concern, but I’m telling you, I must speak to Starscream alone.”

Wheeljack didn’t grace that answer with a response. He locked arms with his conjux and walked them away. As they floated across the floor Starscream leaned over and whispered. “Why did you do that?”

Wheeljack tiled his head so it touched Starscreams, and whispered back. “Because I’ve dealt with enough horse shit tonight, and if I let that guy do what he’s gonna do, I’m gonna lose it.”

“But you-”

“I know what I did.”

* * *

_“How did you get chosen?”_

_“One day a buncha government bozos knocked on my door and said ‘congrats! Yer gettin’ married!’”_

_“No, I mean, how did they come to that conclusion?”_

_“Well, the agreement said influential family. The guild wasn’t considered a family, so they picked me. Because apparently one single guy counts as a family. I am the most influential person, technically, and they couldn’t pick rulers, so I guess I was the next logical choice. Ya know, I don’t know why they didn’t pick Ratchet. He comes from a whole line’a doctors.”_

_“How old is he?”_

_“Uhh, lemme think. I gotta do some math. A million?”_

_“He’s too old.”_

_“He ain't that old.”_

_“He’s too old. They picked you because you were young, influential, and counted as a family.”_

_“I guess.”_

* * *

“But aren’t you letting Ratchet examine me.”

Wheeljack stopped in the middle of a floor of dancers. He placed himself in front of Starscream and positioned them as if they were about to dance as well.

“I told you I wasn’t gonna let him touch you, and I ain’t. You’ll see.”

“Mach-10 is going to chase me, you know.”

“I know. Don’t worry. I got it all planned out.”

‘And you chose not to share one bit of that plan with me.”

They swayed and side stepped their way through the crowd. All the while Wheeljack looked out for any pesky Mach who might be listening in. Starscream kept his wings flat against his back to keep any stray guests at bay.

“I’m making it up as I go along, if I’m honest,” Wheeljack whispered. “Just go with it.”

The grip tightened on Wheeljack’s shoulder. Starscream whipped them around.

“I can’t imagine this’ll be good.”

“Hey, all we can do is hope, right?”

Starscream rolled his eyes.

* * *

_“Tell me about your friends.”_

_“Oh. Heh. You don’t wanna hear about my friends.”_

_“Why don’t we go in order. Tell me about Ironhide.”_

_“I don’t think you- heh- I don’t think you wanna talk about Ironhide.”_

_“Oh? And why’s that.”_

_“Mmmmmmm- cause he’s the mech who popped my seal.”_

_“Ha!”_

* * *

Wheeljack was a relentless force. He didn’t let them get within ten feet of Mach-10. Even if only his wings were visible, or his beady red eyes, Wheeljack would pull them in a different direction. There came a point when Starscream grew tired of it. First he was forced to sit in a chair for two hours, now he was being dragged across a ballroom.

“Stop it,” Starscream snapped, tugging his arm out of Wheeljack’s. “Primus. Can you at least dance me to the table of food?”

Wheeljack chuckled. “Sure, I can do that.”

A few party guests chuckled around them, watching the new couple have their trivial tiff. They must have assumed Starscream’s irritability stemmed from his hunger, but no. He was always that irritable.

As they walked to one of the many tables harboring decadent horderves, Wheeljack kept his guard up. His head twisted this way and that, like a mouse in an open field. He stayed standing behind Starscream as he made himself a plate. From across the room Wheeljack spotted a familiar set of optics.

He elbowed Starscream in the wing, and recived a harder elbow to the head in return.

“Ow. Starscream!”

Starscream looked halfway over his shoulder. “Whatever it is, I don’t care. I am hungry, I am eating.”

“But Starscream-”

“Starscream, dear.” Mach-10 wore a sickly smirk. “There you are.”

Starscream sighed. He swallowed three treats before putting his plate own and turning around.

“Yes, Mach-10.”

“I think it’s time for our private little conversation. Don’t you?”

Wheeljack was about to take a step forward, but Starscream stepped up first. “Yes, Mach-10. I think so.”

Mach-10 gave them a curt nod. He turned on a heel and started to walk away. Starscream didn’t follow immediately.

“Sometimes you have to just let things happen,” he muttered.

Wheeljack stood still and let Starscream walk off. His feet twitched as if they wanted to chase after them, but he didn’t move.

Instead he watched.

Mach-10 stood in the threshold of the hallway and ushered Starscream in. Just as Mach-10 was about to enter, another bot stepped in his path. His wings flared, his eyes going wide.

“Excuse you,” he snapped to the grounder. “Get out of my way.”

“I see you were escorting my patient to his room.”

Mach-10’s frame went stiff. “Pardon you! I don’t know what-”

“I think I’ll take it from here.”

Ratchet slipped into the hallway. Mach-10 went chasing after him.

* * *

_“I had to do it at some point.”_

_“Is that why he was laughing so hard?”_

_“Oh yeah. I got some advice, still not sure if it was good or not, but I thought it was good. Make yer first interfacing experience with someone you know. And I knew him.”_

_“That sounds like terrible advice.”_

_“I don’t think so. I mean, better than havin’ yer first time be with some rando.”_

_“I suppose. My first time was with some rando.”_

_“You never had a first time.”_

_“And as far as I’m concerned I never will.”_

* * *

Ratchet locked the door.

Starscream’s wings fluttered. “What are you doing here?”

Ratchet approached the berth where Starscream was sitting. “I said I would be doing your exam, didn’t I?”

Starscream scowled. “Wheeljack promised me you wouldn’t touch me.”

Ratchet carried over the chair from beside the door and sat down in front of Starscream. “And I won’t be. I don’t touch people without their full consent. Unlike someone I have suddenly become aware of.”

“I consent-”

“No. You don’t. He intimidates you until you give in.” Ratchet shook his head. “That’s not consent.” His brow became hard. “I don’t know what they teach you in those houses, but you have no obligation to let anyone touch you. Ever. Anywhere. Not your husband, or whoever that guy is to you. No one. Do you understand?”

“Don’t speak to me like I’m a sparkling,” Starscream spat. “I know how to consent.” He crossed his arms. “And I don’t know if I consent to you being here.”

Ratchet cocked a brow. “No? Would you rather I send in small, mean, and moody?”

Starscream’s hard expression fell. “No.”

“Then for right now you’re going to listen to me. Here’s how this is going to work. We’re going to sit in here for a few minutes, and when we go out that door and stand you on the pedestal, Wheeljack is going to tell everyone you’re sparked. Then everyone’s happy.”

“Oh, what a good plan,” Starscream said, rolling his eyes. “Then what? Steal a sparkling and call it my own? What am I supposed to do in six months and there is no sparkling, huh? Smart guy?”

“I’ll skip over the irony of a seeker saying stealing sparklings is such a far fetched idea-”

Starscream;s wings flared. “We do not!”

“And tell you the rest of the plan. In two months I’ll do another examination, and we will tell the public that the sparkling was tragically lost.”

Starscream scoffed. “Really? That’s your plan? The seekers will never fall for it.”

“Maybe. If you’re a bad actor.”

* * *

_“Ya know, I know we’re married an all, but when stuff calms down, if you wanna try and find someone who’s not me-”_

_“I don’t want to. Listen, Wheeljack, can I tell you what I want?”_

_“Please do.”_

* * *

Starscream walked out of the room with his wings back and his head up. Mach-10 was nowhere to be seen, but as soon as Starscream stepped out of the hallway, he found Mach-1. He and Mach-10 seemed to be in a heated argument, judging by the way mach-1’s lip sneered so hard Starscream could see his sharp fangs.

Starscream’s tongue unconsciously licked at the tips of his own fangs. Most seekers got them filed as sparklings, but Starscream hadn’t.

He quickly located Wheeljack, who scurried out of the crowd just to see him.

“Dear? Starscream whispered. “I think it’s time for our announcement.”

Wheeljack furrowed his brow. “Huh?”

Starscream clenched his jaw and spoke through his teeth. “The announcement, dear.”

“What-”

“The sparkling, stupid.”

“Oh. Oh! Okay. I got it.”

“Oh dear Primus.”

* * *

_“Ever since I was 2,000 years old all I’ve wanted was a collection of swords and knives, a cool staff, a beautiful cape, and to live on a secluded island where nobody, absolutely nobody would bother me ever again.”_

* * *

Wheeljack took Starscream’s hand and lead them to their pedestal. He waved his hand above the crowd and called over the music.

“Excuse me, everyone, excuse me! May I have yer attention.”

The band went quiet. All sets of eyes landed on them.

“Thank you. May I start by saying, what an honor it is to be able to serve our glorious states. They raised us, and to have the opportunity to create bonds between them it’s- heh- it’s all I could ever ask.”

The people clapped.

Wheeljack nodded with the applause. “Yes. Yes, thank you. Now, I have an important announcement to make.” He and Starscream shared a glance. “We are preparing to welcome new life into a changed planet. My conjux...is carrying!”

The room erupted in cheers and applause.

Starscream’s smile twitched on his lip. His wings rattled. He waved at the people in the crowd, and accepted a touch to the hand from anyone who reached for him. Wheeljack kept a supportive hand on his back and nodded to all of those who were congratulating them.

Soon the wave of people stopped. Starscream found himself in an in-imposing shadow.

He looked up at the familiar face scowling down at him.

* * *

_“...Why 2,000?”_

* * *

“Starscream,” Mach-1’s deep voice rumbled. The softness and familiarity of it drew the tension out of Starscream’s wings.

“Mach-1.”

“I am happy for you.” Mach-1’s brow crested. His eyes dimmed. “But it saddens me that your first sparkling was given to you by a mech you hardly know.”

Starscream’s mouth pulled into a hard line. His chin twitched so the side, but he kept his gaze straight ahead. “I have a duty, don’t I?”

Mach-1 bore his teeth and closed his eyes tight. He huffed, fixing his expression. He stared at the corner of the pedestal. “The creation of a sparkling should not be out of obligation.” He looked at Starscream. “Regardless. I wish you well.”

“You always do.”

Mach-1 took a knee. He lifted his massive arms and gently wrapped them around Starscream. In response Starscream relaxed. He accepted the affection and returned it.

Mach-1 squeezed. He spoke into the back of Starscream’s head. “Are you at least happy?”

Starscream’s claws dug into Mach-1’s thick armour. He buried his eyes in the broad shoulder beneath his chin and shook his head. “No.” he whispered. “No, I am not happy.”

Mach-1 sighed. His chest rippled with the deep sound. He held Starscream even tighter, and did not move when he felt the hiccup of a sob. He closed his eyes, buried Starscream’s head so no one could see, and stayed there until the trembling stopped. .

* * *

_“Because that’s when they took me away from Mach-1.”_


	6. The Seekerlings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: Child abuse mentioned

Somehow the house seemed quieter now. Though no one ever spoke, the breaking of glass and the padding of heels was near non-existent. Starscream hardly cleaned anymore, only enough to minimize the mess should Mach-10 stop by for a little visit. Wheeljack did most of the cleaning, and continued to keep the organic books safe should Starscream find the urge to destroy things again. 

Wheeljack cooked his own meals, and occasionally Starscream’s when Starscream was laying about in bed all day. There came a point when Starscream laid down, and he hadn’t gotten up since. Wheeljack would place the food on the bedside table and stir Starscream by the shoulder, and wouldn’t leave until Starscream ate at least something. This always summoned a sharp glare from his husband, but Wheeljack didn’t care. There was a sparkling to take care of, after all, and public appearances to uphold. Starscream could not melt into a puddle now that they were getting along. If that were to happen the entire ruse could fall apart. 

At night they still slept together. Wheeljack would tenderly shove Starscream to one side and lay himself down. Starscream would kick him in the back of the knees and take all of the blankets for himself. 

Three weeks after the ball, Wheeljack rose from the bed and stared out the window. He only got to admire the view for a few seconds before Starscream was waving at him to close the curtains. Wheeljack pulled the organic material together until only a slit remained, painting a dash across the unmoving lump on the bed. 

“You should get up today,” Wheeljack said, walking around the berth. “What if Mach-10 shows up.” 

“You’re not serious,” Starscream muttered, not even his eyes piercing through the blankets. “You’ll be the one who answers the door.”

“Come on. Let’s go for a walk or something.”

“No.”

“Starscream-”

“No. Leave me alone.”

Wheeljack rubbed his chin, cocking one brow. He scrubbed a hand down his face. “What if I call Mach-1, what will you do then?”

Starscream scoffed. “As if.”

“I bet I could find a way to do it.”

“He doesn’t take calls from grounders. And even if he did, what’s he going to do? Pummel you for telling him that your carrying mate needs to get up and do something with his life. Don’t you know carriers need rest?”

“You’re not carrying.”

Starscream peaked out from beneath the blankets. “No one knows that but you, I, and Ratchet.”

Wheeljack’s shoulders slumped. “Fine,” he grumbled. “Stay there and be useless.”

Starscream didn’t respond. Wheeljack left to make himself breakfast. He didn’t make any food for Starscream, knowing that it would go to waste. The dining room where they were supposed to take their meals had gone unused since. Wheeljack sat in one of his offices and ate. 

Wheeljack was running out of things to do with himself. Project after project, he was getting bored. Nothing he planned out was going to become anything. Not anymore. He tried to keep himself sane by taking care of the garden and cleaning up around the house. One time he decided to go exploring, nothing but exploring. On his journey he discovered several untouched rooms, a basement, and an attic, which was to be expected in a house this large. 

Wheeljack began to wonder if the people expected them to have a million sparklings. Though, considering the Seeker law, that didn’t make a lot of sense either. Wheeljack’s state was not pushing as hard as Starscream’s state for them to produce a sparkling. While many believed a new life between the two nations would harbor peace, not everyone was convinced, and not everyone was on board. As someone had said, the union was for the people. Their bone-headed leaders still had to work things out. 

Fortunately for everyone, Optimus Prime was a people pleasing leader, and more often than not did things based on the satisfaction of his people. This attitude often bounced off of Megatron, who acted tough, but could be easily persuaded by a few choice words on Prime’s part. 

Wheeljack only hoped that the sudden and tragic death of their imaginary sparkling didn’t cause an irreversible uproar. He hoped that, if anything, the two states would mourn the loss together, and a bond would be made in the hands of grief. 

Wheeljack finished his breakfast and cleaned up the kitchen. He stood at the sink for a while, watching the water swirl down the drain. 

“What are you doing?”

Wheeljack jumped. He turned around. 

“You’ve been standing there for a while.” Starscream said, standing in the doorway. In full view it was obvious now. His frame was greying around the edges, his eyes dull to the point of nearly being offline. There were scratches on his legs and arms, shallow marks where his claws restlessly brushed. Little rust spots outlined his sharp features. 

“You’re up.” Wheeljack said. 

“I’m hungry.”

“You should have been eating.”

Starscream shoved Wheeljack aside to get to the energon dispenser. Starscream downed four cubes in four gulps, leaving the empty shells on the counter. When he was done he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and left the kitchen. Before he could get very far Wheeljack made chase. He grabbed Starscream by the wrist and tugged him to a stop. 

“Don’t touch me,” Starscream spat, freeing his wrist from Wheeljack’s tight grip. 

“I’m sick of this, Starscream. You can’t just lay in bed all day anymore.”

“You’re sick of this?” Starscream took a step forward until he loomed over Wheeljack. “What are you sick of, Wheeljack?” He poked Wheeljack in the chest as he spoke. “Do you know what I did for my whole fragging life? My whole god damn life? I was slapped and prodded and poked and yelled at and given lesson after lesson after lesson after stupid stupid stupid lesson and trained like some god damn dog! That’s what I was sick of. So if I want to lay in bed for three fragging weeks, I’m going to! And it’s none of your fragging business!”

Wheeljack opened his mouth to respond but stopped short at the sound of breaking glass. Starscream’s shoulders relaxed, some color returning to his eyes. He cocked his head at Wheeljack and Wheeljack cocked his back. 

“Do you know what that was?” Starscream asked. 

“Not a clue.”

A hushed voice came from the next hallway. “You broke it.” “Shhh, they’ll hear us.”

Wheeljack turned around. “What the-”

Another noise, one Wheeljack didn’t recognize, came from the same area. Starscream’s wings flared. He shoved Wheeljack aside and stormed into the next hallway. Wheeljack remained where he was, listening to the ruckus. 

“You three-” Starscream growled. “What do you think you’re doing!”

Wheeljack made himself move. There was no hurry in his step, as if an invisible force were moving his body forward and he had no strength to fight it. When he turned the corner he found Starscream with his hands on his hips, his wings to full height, and three little seekerlings staring up at him. 

One blue, one pink, and one yellow. They all had the same face, smooth light grey features and blue eyes. 

“What in Primus' name do you three think you’re doing! How did you even get here?” 

The blue seekerling hid behind the pink. He spoke for the whole group. “We just, we wanted to see what the big deal was.” He explained. 

“And you thought the way to do it was sneaking into someone’s house? Who raised you brats? Ugh,” Starscream pinched between his eyes. “Primus help me. How did you even get here?”

None of the seekerlings responded. Wheeljack suddenly found all eyes on him. 

Starscream snapped his fingers at them. “Well? Answer the question.”

The pink seeker looked at Starscream. “We flew.”

“All the way here?”

The pink seeker nodded. “Uh-huh.”

Starscream stood up straight. “Humph. Tough little tykes.”

The yellow seekerling, still sitting on the floor, pouted. “We are not small!” 

Starscream chuckled. “You are very small,” he leaned down and reached for the little blue seeker. Initially he was met with a flinch. “Don’t worry, little one, I’m not going to hurt you.” 

The blue seekerling let Starscream pick him up and hold him against his hip. With his free hand Starscream took the hand of the pink seeker, and instructed him to take the hand of the yellow seeker. 

“Come on, I bet you’re hungry after your flight.”

As they walked past Wheeljack all of the sparklings stared at him. 

“Staring is rude,” Starscream snapped. “Keep your eyes forward you little brats.”

The seekerlings did as they were told. Starscream seated them all at the dining room table and told them to stay. To Wheeljack’s surprise, not one of them even tried to get out of their seat. Starscream emerged from the kitchen with three sandwiches which he haphazardly tossed in front of the seekerlings. 

“Eat,” he demanded. 

As soon as the pink seekerling started to eat, everyone else followed. 

“Names.” Starscream said. 

The pink one spoke for all of them. “I’m P-33,” he pointed to the blue one. “B-66,” then the yellow one. “Y-24.”

“Who’s your Mach?”

“Mach-2.”

Starscream went stiff. He slammed both hands on the table. “You snuck away from Mach-2!” He screamed. “What on Cybertron were you thinking!”

No one spoke for a moment. 

“You’d take us,” said B-66. 

Starscream sat back and rubbed his eyes with his thumb and forefinger. “Oh Primus help me. Primus help me, primus help me.”

“They said you needed a sparkling,” said P-33. “And Mach-2’s got a lotta sparklings already!”

Starscream took a deep vent. “Not a sparkling like the Machs have,” he gestured to himself and Wheeljack. “A sparkling that me and my conjunx make together. I’m not allowed to adopt any seekerlings, you should have been taught that by now.”

P-33 pouted, looking at the table. “We know but we thought ‘cause you bonded to a grounder you were special.”

“Like the Machs,” Y-24 said. “So you could take us.”

“Well, I can’t. So you wasted a trip.” Starscream stood up. “Now I have to get you back to Mach-2,” he rolled his eyes. “Great.”

P-33 clasped his hands together. “Please don’t take us back yet,” he begged. “Please please please don’t.”

“I have to. Now come on,” Starscream flicked his hand. “Finish up. We leave as soon as you’re done.”

The sparklings started to eat slower. Starscream slapped the table. 

“That is not permission to eat as slowly as possible!”

The sparklings grumbled to themselves and started eating at a normal speed. Starscream pointed at them and addressed Wheeljack. “Keep an eye on them, I’ll be right back.”

As soon as Starscream was gone all eyes were on Wheeljack. 

“Is it true you can’t fly?” asked Y-24. 

Wheeljack opened his mouth to answer, but never got so far before being bombarded. 

“Do those wheels work or are they desecration?”  
“Do you have a nose?”  
“Are all grounders ugly?”  
“Do you have a face?”  
“Have you kiiiiiiiissssed Starscream?”  
“Have you ever met a seeker before?”  
“Can grounders and seekers have sparklings? I feel like that wouldn’t work.”  
“Your eyes are pretty.”  
“Do all grounders have those weird ear things?”  
“What’s it like to not be able to fly?”  
“How do you get around? Can you swim?”  
“Can grounders swim far?”  
“Starscream is prettier than you."

“Hey!” Starscream stormed into the room. “Quiet. All of you. Quit bothering Wheeljack with your silly questions.”

All of the kids sat back in their chairs. They whispered amongst themselves. “Wheel is in his name.”

“I said quiet,” Starscream snapped. 

All the sparklings shut their mouths. They didn’t say another word until it was time to go. 

“You’re coming with us,” Starscream told Wheeljack. 

“Why?”

“I’m not about to be seen in public without my conjunx. The tabloids would be all over that. So you’re coming with us.” 

They walked out to the front together. The sparklings chuckled to themselves staring between the stairs and Wheeljack. Starscream snapped his fingers at them. “Stay where you are.”

“How am I supposed to get there?” Wheeljack asked. “Where are we even going?”

“Seeker territory, duh.”

“Isn’t that on a mountain?”

“Don’t be such a sparkling. I’ll fly you up.”

Wheeljack took a step back. “Uhhh, maybe it’s best I stay home. Hold down the fort-”

Starscream grabbed him by the wrist. “You’re coming with us. End of story.”

"I don’t want to.”

“I don’t care.”

“That’s not fair.”

Starscream’s grip loosened, his expression eased. “Wheeljack. Please.”

Wheeljack glanced between Starscream and the seekerlings. Wheeljack sighed. “Fine. But I’m not gonna be happy about it.”

“I don’t expect you to,” Starscream turned on a heel and addressed the sparklings. “Alright, brats, wings up. We’re taking off.” 

The seekerlings’ wings snapped into position. They all squatted down and took off at once. 

“You’re good to follow us on land?” Starscream asked just before he took off. 

Wheeljack nodded. “Yeah, I got it.”

The house for the happy couple was built directly between the two states, in the sliver of land known as neutral territory. A loose neutral territory that had to be pried out of both leader's grubby servos for the illusion of good will. 

Following Starscream and the seekerlings into Decepticon territory wasn’t difficult. There were roads and streets and paths. They never went through any cities, but the landscape was developed enough that anyone could drive almost anywhere. 

Except for the ocean. 

Wheels did not like the ocean. 

As far as Wheeljack knew, Seekers weren’t strong swimmers either. 

So when they arrived on the black sand of a beach, Wheeljack came to stand at the edge of the water and stare out into the clouded abyss, confused as all get-out. 

“Husband,” Wheeljack called up to Starscream. “What the frag is this?”

Starscream floated down and took Wheeljack under the arms. “You think seekers live on a mountain?” He flew them upwards. “Shows how much grounders know.”

Wheeljack went stiff as soon as his feet left the ground. 

"Relax," Starscream demanded. "Or I'll drop you."

"That doesn't help me relax." Wheeljack snapped back. 

Starscream just rolled his eyes. He called to the kids. "Seekerlings! Stay close to me." 

The seekerlings did as they were told, flying beside Starscream and Wheeljack. They flew into the thick clouds. Visibility was none. Wheeljack could barely see a foot in front of him. He looked up and found Starscream's bright red eyes in the haze. 

Starscream stopped and hovered. "Alright, seekerlings, one of you get in my cockpit." 

None of them moved to the open cockpit. Starscream nodded to B-66. "You. Now." 

B-66 fluttered into the cockpit. He nestled in and let the glass close him in. 

"Alright," Starscream said. "Wheeljack, can you fit the other two in your cabin?" 

"Uhh, yeah, probably. Might be a little bit of a tight fit."

"That's fine. Can you open up from here?" 

"Yeah," Wheeljack retracted his windshield. The seekerlings squeezed into the cabin without protest. 

Starscream kept flying. There came a point when the clouds parted, and there, floating on an enormous disk above the raging ocean, was a city. Buildings stretched to the sky, sparkling against the circle of clear sky above. Wheeljack looked up and down. Grey sea below, yellow sky above, clouds on all sides. From here he could see the shape of seekers flying between the buildings. 

Starscream flew them above the buildings. In the center of the disk was a clearing with mansions dotting the outer edges, and one enormous castle-like home in the center. As they got closer to the ground the size of the houses and the land became more apparent. 

Starscream hovered above the ground. "Are you ready?" He asked. "I'm putting you down."

Wheeljack stared at his feet. "Yeah, I'm good." 

Starscream put him down slow, letting him get his bearings. Wheeljack stumbled, but didn't fall. Starscream touched down carefully, one foot before the other. They had landed in front of the center structure, which appeared to be five stories high. Wheeljack turned around, staring out at the skyscrapers in the distance. 

"Come on," Starscream grabbed him by the arm. "We can't waste any time." 

Wheeljack followed Starscream to the large double doors. Starscream let himself in. They entered into a grand, grey, hallway with few lights. Nothing hung on the walls. 

Starscream opened his cockpit and gathered B-66 into his arms. Wheeljack stopped and let the other two out. The seekerlings each grabbed hold of one of Wheeljack's hands and walked on either side of him. At the end of the hallway was a large circular room with a glass ceiling. 

Mach-1 sat on a throne, speaking with another seeker who was showing him a datapad. A short line of seekers stood behind the first. Starscream stood by the entrance and waited. 

Mach-1 nodded as the seeker spoke. He glanced to the corner of his eye and took a double take. 

"Starscream." Mach-1 addressed the other seekers. "Leave us." 

The seekers bowed their heads and scurried out of the various doors. Mach-1 rose from his throne and made the journey to the couple. He stretched his arms out. 

"Starscream," he boomed, no smile on his face. "What brings you?" 

Starscream accepted a brief hug, keeping one arm between his chest and Mach-1's. 

"I'm afraid I have a situation," Starscream sighed, adjusting B-66 on his hip. 

Mach-1 studied the sparklings. He furrowed his brow. "I see." He threw a flare at Wheeljack but made no comment. "What happened?" 

"These three snuck out," Starscream lowered his voice. "They're Mach-2's, they begged us to let them stay with us." 

Mach-1 nodded. "I see." He stood up straight. "I will return them to their Mach, personally. Thank you for bringing them back." 

Starscream grabbed Mach-1 by the wrist. "One? Please reconsider putting them with someone else." 

"Starscream, you know-" 

"You know what Mach-2 will do with them-" 

"It is out of my hands, Star." 

Starscream stomped his foot, his wings flaring. "No it's not!" 

"Enough!" 

Starscream's wings went down. 

Mach-1 sighed. He took a knee. "I'm sorry, Starscream, but it has to be done." 

Starscream squeezed the seekerlings in his arms. He frowned until the wrinkles rippled across his generally smooth features. "Fine," he spat. He held out B-66, "just take them." 

Mach-1 gently collected the seekerlings into his arms. His chassis rumbled as if he were purring. B-66 trilled back, resting his head on Mach-1's massive chest. Mach-1 gathered the other two. 

"You two remain here," he said. "I will return them to Mach-2." 

As soon as Mach-1 was gone, Starscream let out a loud roar and pinched the wall as hard as he could. He slid to his knees, claws digging into the dented metal. 

"Frag Mach-2," he spat to the floor. "Frag all the fragging Machs." 

Wheeljack knelt down beside him and rubbed between his wings. Starscream sat back on his haunches. 

"Of all the Machs," he muttered, shaking his head. "All the Machs. Those stupid brats. Stupid stupid brats." The grey returned to the edges of his frame. The dullness returned to his eyes. 

Wheeljack swallowed the lump in his throat. "What's gonna happen to them?" 

"Who knows," Starscream's head lulled to one side. "I've only ever heard the stories." He held up one finger and inspected the talon. "He'll etch a mark on their wings. They didn't have any." 

Wheeljack didn't ask anymore questions. 

Mach-1 returned about a half hour later. When he got there, Starscream was still kneeling on the floor in front of the damaged wall. 

Mach-1 sighed, grabbing Starscream by the shoulders. "I know you're upset-" 

"Don't talk to me," Starscream snapped. "I don't want to hear it." 

"Come. You're tired. Let's get you to bed."

Starscream shrugged him off. "Let go of me. Let go!" 

Mach-1 removed his hand and let Starscream stand up on his own. 

"That's what you've always been." Starscream spat. "Always a fragging coward."

Mach-1 stood firm, his shoulder square. He let Starscream yell at him, call him a coward and a false king and a sickly old man who didn't care for those sparklings. 

"Are you finished?" Mach-1 asked softly. 

Wheeljack expected him to begin yelling back. 

But he didn't. 

Mach-1 stepped forward and gathered Starscream into a hug. Starscream squirmed at first. 

"Stop it. Don't touch me." 

Mach-1 held him tighter and the squirming stopped. 

"You are tired," Mach-1 rumbled. "And this anger comes not from the sparklings." 

"I hate you." 

"You will stay here for the night." 

Starscream relaxed into the embrace. "I'm not a sparkling." 

"But you carry one. Night has come. Your journey is long. A mech in your condition needs his rest." 

Starscream did not protest. 

Mach-1 placed his hand on Starscream's back and walked them forward. He looked over his shoulder. "Grounder," he barked. "Are you not sensible enough to help your carrying mate to bed?" 

Wheeljack jumped to his feet and rushed forward. Mach-1 released Starscream and let Wheeljack take the reigns. Starscream sneered. Wheeljack held him by the hand and upper arm. 

Mach-1 led them to one of the berth rooms. Starscream kept the frown on his face the entire time Wheeljack was helping him into the berth. Mach-1 took Wheeljack by the shoulder and moved him aside. He took a knee before the berth and spoke quietly to Starscream. 

“Your husband seems useless.”

"Don't be mean to him, he treats me well."

"So you say." Mach-1 gave him a kiss on the forehead. "Rest well." 

Mach-1 stood up straight. He pointed at Wheeljack. "You. Come with me." 

Wheeljack hopped to attention. He followed Mach-1 to an office several hallways away. The room was large, filled floor to ceiling with old texts and new datapads. Two crystal roses sat growing in vases on a table off to one side. A desk, big enough to suit three Wheeljacks, sat in the center of the room, clean and neat, and void of stray work. Every pen was in place, every inch of the metal well polished. 

“Sit,” Mach-1 demanded, pointing to one of the two chairs before the desk.

Wheeljack nearly fell on his aft, sitting as soon as he was told to. He flailed, grabbing hold of the arm rests to save himself. 

Mach-1 cocked a brow at him. He took in a deep vent, popping the lid off the bottle of high grade below the desk. He grabbed two crystal glasses and filled them halfway. 

“Drink.”

Wheeljack’s trembling hand reached forward and took the glass off the edge of the desk. Mach-1 twirled his drink in his glass, sitting back in his chair and crossing one leg over the other. He took a short sip and put his glass back down. 

“You understand, Wheeljack, how important Starscream is to me.”

“I think I could tell.”

“I don’t think you’re stupid. I think you’re smarter than the average grounder.” Mach-1 sat forward. “But the fact still stands that you are a grounder.”

Wheeljack nodded. “I know.”

“I would hope so.”

Wheeljack’s face became warm. He retracted his mask and took a sip of his drink. The high grade hit his throat like a knife, he nearly coughed it back up. He covered his mouth and forced himself to swallow. 

Mach-1 continued. “Starscream has always had...issues.”

Wheeljack resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Issues. That was one way to put it.

“And more often than not grounders fail to understand the tough yet fragile nature of seekers. We can fight to the death, but overwhelmed, we melt under pressure. We have been called erratic, animalistic, beastly, and a dozen other names by grounders such as yourself.”

“I never-”

“Quiet. I am not finished.” Mach-1 waited to continue. “Starscream is a case all his own. He came out of the gestation chamber mean and fighting, paranoid, and anxious, like many of us are. In my hands he was fine, but in Mach-10’s hands he crumbled under the abuse and pressure.” Mach-1 picked up his glass but didn’t drink. “That’s why he hates me. Or says he does. And that is why I let him speak to me the way he does.” He took a sip. “You may respond.”

“Why are you telling me all this?”

“Because I need you to understand that Starscream does not need to be handled. He does not need to be kept. He does not need to be disciplined like a poorly behaved turbofox. Understand that he is a treasure to me, my only son, and if it were up to me he would never be married to the likes of you.” He put his glass down. “But this is the reality I must accept. I must accept that my Starscream was molested by a grounder for the sake of peace and he will have a grounder’s sparkling, and he may fall apart from stress like that. Then it will not be me there to pick up the pieces, but you. Are you prepared for that?”

Wheeljack’s plating clamped. “I didn’t molest him.”

“I know that Starscream would never willingly bed himself with a grounder, do not lie to me.”

Wheeljack raised his voice. “I never molested him.”

“Do not try to lie to me, grounder,” Mach-1 snarled. 

Wheeljack stood up, throwing his glass to the ground. “I never molested anybody!”

Mach-1 stood. “You dare-!” He roared, lurching forward. 

Wheeljack took a step back. 

“The sparkling isn’t real.” 

Mach-1 stopped short. He looked at the open door. 

Starscream shuffled into the room. “There never was one.” He stepped between Mach-1 and Wheeljack and took Mach-1’s wrist. “He doesn’t touch me. He never touches me.”

Mach-1s distorted expression relaxed. He took the hand holding his wrist. “Starscream-”

“And I am not one of your delicate crystal flowers.”

Mach-1 stood up straight. “No. You are far from delicate.”

“Do not speak to my husband like that. He treats me well. Far better than the mech you entrusted me to.”

"I never-" 

Starscream pulled his hand from Mach-1’s soft grip and turned around. 

“Come on, Wheeljack. We’re leaving.”

Wheeljack followed Starscream out. Mach-1 did not follow. 

When they got home Starscream went outside to the garden and sat down on the stone bench between the plots. 

The moons and stars were bright that evening, casting a soft blue light over the flat landscape. 

Wheeljack sat down next to him. 

“As a seekerling, we were taught that the sky belonged only to Seekers,” Starscream muttered. “Yet, none of us have ever touched the stars.”

Wheeljack’s hand flinched in his lap. He carefully took Starscream’s fingers in his own. 

“We can change that,” Wheeljack said. “If you want.”

The couple looked at eachother. 

Then looked to the sky.


	7. The Understanding

Starscream groaned, rolling over onto his side. He curled when the blanket was suddenly pulled from his body. Blindly, he made a grab for it, one wing bending under him, his knees going akimbo as his claw brushed the air.

“Up ya get,” Wheeljack said, rolling the blanket into a ball and throwing it into the farthest corner.

Starscream groaned, returning to a comfortable position to sleep without a blanket. Wheeljack grabbed him by the ankle and tried to pull him off the berth. Starscream clawed into the mattress.

“Come on, it’s yer turn to make breakfast.”

“No,” Starscream whined.

“Come ooooon. You promised.”

“I was drunk.”

“No you weren’t.”

Starscream huffed. “Fine.” He threw the pillow in Wheeljack’s face and sat up.

Wheeljack tossed the pillow back on the berth and helped Starscream to his feet. Together they walked to the dining room. Starscream made breakfast, they ate together, after breakfast Wheeljack cleaned up and they both went out into the crystal garden.

Starscream tore through every pair of gloves he was given so he didn’t bother to use any. He dug through the shreds of metal with his bare hands and complained the entire time about getting dirt on his hands.

Wheeljack huffed, sitting up. He wiped his warm forehead. “I offered you gloves a hundred times.”

“I already tore through them!” Starscream called, still clawing out the weeds. “They’re useless!”

“Then why do you keep complaining?”

“It makes me feel better!”

Wheeljack shook his head and returned to his work. Starscream was in charge of pulling out weeds, while Wheeljack was tasked with planting the flowers and tending to them. These jobs had been assigned after their first successful plot had been ruined by Starscream’s over-solutioning.

Starscream got to take out his frustration by tearing up the dirt and weeds, and Wheeljack got to wind down by planting flowers. They worked together to reconstruct the gazebo, and often sat outside staring at the sky together.

After working in the garden, they went inside for lunch, which they made separately, but ate together. After lunch they played chess in one of the sitting rooms. Starscream was a bad loser, and a bad winner. After a few games they washed the windows, broke a few vases and paintings, and Starscream tore at the walls in the designated clawing room. They cleaned up after themselves and made their way to the attic, where Starscream sat looking over the plans while Wheeljack installed part of the second half of the jack on the opposite side of the wall.

Starscream sat, flicking his toe and looking over the various datapads he and Wheeljack had been scribbling on for the last two weeks.

“I’m no scientist,” Starscream said. “But I can fly. And I’m telling you, these thrusters are not going to get us past the atmosphere.”

Wheeljack came down from his ladder and started working on the wires below. “And I told you, it’ll be fine.”

Starscream sat forward. “I don’t want to get all the way up there just to figure out we can’t get through. Just play it safe.”

Wheeljack huffed, turning around. “I told you, it’s fine.”

Starscream turned the datapad to face him. “But would you just-”

“Do you need a break?”

Starscream’s wing twitched. He frowned. “Fine,” he spat, tossing the datapad in the pile beside his chair. He left Wheeljack to work by himself.

After about a half hour Wheeljack lowered his arms and shook them out. He dropped the pliers into the toolbox and sat down in Starscream’s chair. They’d only been up there for two hours, but Wheeljack was already almost done and the attic was hot. He shoved himself to his feet and skipped down the steps. In the kitchen he made himself a cold glass of energon and stood sipping it against the counter.

There was no rukus in the house.

No tearing of walls or breaking of vases. Not the usual stress relieving sounds he often heard when Starscream got riled up. Wheeljack finished his glass and put it in the sink. For a few minutes he wandered about the house calling Starscream’s name. The first place he checked was the bedroom, where Starscream occasionally snuck away from work to take a nap.

When the bedroom was vacant, Wheeljack moved on to one of the various sitting rooms. His office. One of the libraries. Starscream wasn’t in the house.

Wheeljack shrugged it off and made his way back to the attic.

While passing one of the windows, he stopped short. A red glint caught his eye, and the sound of a frustrated hiss. Wheeljack pressed his face to the window and found Starscream jumping off the gazebo, activating his thrusters, and falling on his aft.

Wheeljack watched him do this four or five times before running to the back door and going out to the garden.

“Starscream!” He called from the edge of the path. “Star! Starscream!” He met Starscream just as soon as he fell on his aft. “What are you doing?”

Starscream rubbed his aft as he stood up. “I am-” he paused to catch his vents. “Proving you wrong!”

Wheeljack drew back. “What?”

“This,” Starscream took a folded piece of paper out of his subspace and tore it open. “Is what you wrote down on that datapad.” He held up the paper for Wheeljack to see. “But it’s wrong. I’ve been out here for an hour trying to prove it wrong.”

Wheeljack took the crudely scribbled copy of his work and looked it over. Everything had been written down correctly. The validity of his equation still stood. “No. It’s right. I did the math twice over-”

“No! You’re not listening to me,” Starscream took another crumpled piece of paper out of his subspace. “I’ve been doing my own math-”

“Star, for the last time, you’re not a mathematician.”

“I’ve been jumping off that thing and starting from the ground, and I measured. I measured my weight against my thrust, my lift. Look at it-”

“Starscream-”

“Would you just look at it? Just look at it.”

Wheeljack sighed. He took the crumpled piece of paper and read it over. The math was crude and over-thought, but it wasn’t wrong. Starscream had adjusted the strength of his thrust at various points, measuring the ratio of thrust to weight, and how much he needed to get off the ground and stay there. A second series of tests showed what would happen if he tried to catch himself in the air, and the kinetic energy overwhelmed the lift that got him straight off the ground.

Wheeljak re-examined his old equation. He looked at Starscream. “I’ll take another look at it.”

Starscream frowned. “You should have done that in the first place.”

“I’m only doing it so you don’t lose your mind over it. I’m sure my calculation is fine.” He tucked the papers in his pockets. “But, we’re in this together, so,” he shrugged. “I hear you.” He turned his attention to the falling sun. “Come on. Let’s go back inside, I’ll get dinner on the table.”

After dinner, Starscream cleaned up. When he was done they returned to the bedroom for an early evening wind down and a game of, “Guess What,” as Wheeljack had so lovingly named it. He had the honor of naming it after he spent six hours coming up with - and writing down -1,400 questions.

While Wheeljack was in the shower Starscream got himself a popsicle and the six-pack of cheap high-grade from the kitchen. He gathered up all of the blankets, arranged them at the head of the bed, and made himself comfortable. When Wheeljack emerged from the shower Starscream tossed him a can of high grade without any warning.

Wheeljack cracked it open and sat down opposite his conjunx on the bed. Starscream already had the cards and datapads laid out and was sitting patiently sipping his engex and eating his popsicle.

“Okay,” Wheeljack grunted, settling into the berth. “I start?”

Starscream hummed into his sip. “Mm-hm.”

“Okay,” Wheeljack drew a card. “Oh this is a good one.” He read the card aloud. “What is your favorite color?”

Starscream scoffed. “Really?”

“Hey, 1,400 is a lot, and you made me write them all.”

Starscream flapped his hand. “Fine fine fine. My favorite color is red.”

“Mine is green.”

Starscream reached for the pile of cards. “You seem like a green guy,” he cleared his throat before reading. “‘Who was the greatest influence in your life?’ Now hold on a minute.” He wagged the card at Wheeljack. “This isn’t specific enough. Bad influence, or good influence?”

“Uhhhhh, I think I have one for all three? General, bad, and good.”

Starscream humphed, tossing the card in the discard pile. “Alright, so who is it.”

Wheeljack rubbed his chin. “Hmm. I guess…” he trailed off. “Uhh. I dunno. I guess Ratchet. He let me into the guild and all.”

Starscream chewed his lip. He huffed. “I don’t want to say Mach-10, but I have to.”

“You don’t have to.”

“I’d be lying if I didn’t. I’m just as mean and selfish and bratty as he is. Your turn.”

Wheeljack drew the next card. “‘Who is your least favorite person in the whole world.’ Oof.” He put the card aside. “Don’t remember writing that one-”

“Mach-1.”

“Oh. Uhh. Okay. Mine’s Overlord.”

“Who’s Overlord?”

“He is a “former Decepticon,” who is definitely still a Decepticon. He became mayor of my city and really screwed a lot of shit up. He’s behind a lot of unsolved murders, but no one ever proved it so he never went to jail.”

Starscream cocked a brow. “Interesting.”

“You would hate him. I know for a fact that he keeps Seekers in his home as slaves.”

Starscream narrowed his eyes. “How do you know that?”

“I’ve been in his house, unfortunately. You get to meet a lot of people when you’re a big shot like I was.”

“I thought slavery in the Autobot state was illegal.”

“It is. But Overlord gets to get away with whatever he wants because he’s got a lotta money and influence.”

Starscream picked up his next card and turned it between his fingers. “How did he get the Seekers?”

“Not a clue.”

“Hm.”

“What?”

“Nothing. It’s my turn.” He read the next card. “Have you ever touched yourself,” his face became warm. “Wheeljack,” he tossed the card aside. “You pervert.”

“What? I’m allowed to be curious. We are married.”

“I have, in fact, touched myself. Once, but I never did it again.”

Wheeljack’s finials blinked. “Why not?”

Starscream scowled. “Because Mach-10 caught me and spent an hour shaming me in front of all the other brats. After that I never wanted to do it again.” He took a deep vent and rubbed the expression off his face. “Well, what about you?”

“I’m sorry that happened to you-”

“Don’t worry about it.”

“Ya know, if you ever wanna, ya know- do that. For yerself. This house is ours. You can do whatever you want.”

“You’re not answering the question.”

“Yes, I’ve masturbated a lot in my time. I still do it when yer not around.”

Starscream sneered. “Ew, on our bed?”

“No, not on our bed. I go to one of the many, many bedrooms, and take a load off.”

Starscream covered his laugh with his hand. “That- that was awful.”

Wheeljack’s fins blinked. “I didn’t mean it like that!”

“What’s the next card?”

"Uhh- what is your least favorite color"

"Green."

"Yellow."

Starscream finished off his can and grabbed another. He squinted at the next card. "’Do you have any siblings?’ Wheeljack, I said no family questions."

"I ran out of questions."

"You didn't have siblings. And I didn't have any real siblings. So we can skip this question." Starscream tossed the card into the discard pile.

"No, now hold on a second. I know you grew up in a house full of seekers."

"Yes, but none of them were related to me."

"You don't consider them family at all?"

Starscream's plating clamped. "There are no families among the seekers."

"But-"

"Let's be done." Starscream gathered the cards and started putting them back in the box. "I'm tired. I want to go to bed."

Wheeljack didn't say anything for a moment. He nodded. "Okay," he said softly. "We can go to bed." He helped Starscream clean up. Put the cards away, dispose of their empty cans.

While Starscream buried himself in the blankets, Wheeljack turned out the light.

When he returned to the berth, Wheeljack climbed under the pile of blankets and met Starscream in the center of the bed.

"You did it again," Wheeljack whispered.

Starscream didn't respond.

"You shut me out."

"I'm tired."

"You can pass on a question-"

"I want to pass on every question."

"Star-"

"I want to go to sleep. Will you hold me or won't you."

Wheeljack sighed. "Okay. Come 'ere."

They scooted towards one another. Starscream buried his head in the crook of Wheeljack's neck and placed one hand upon his waist.

Wheeljack's hands wrapped around Starscream's middle and pulled them flush together. For a while they stayed there, eyes closed, neither one asleep.

Starscream's hand fiddled against Wheeljack's plating but his claws never brushed.

"I don't know how many siblings I have," he muttered. "That's not how Seekers work."

Wheeljack shifted. "Can I ask a question?"

"Maybe."

"How do you know you aren't marrying a sibling?"

Starscream squeezed tighter. "Branding."

"What?"

"You can only bond with someone who came from your Mach, and the Mach half that."

"So you can only marry someone from Mach-10 and…?"

"Mach-5."

"What about the uneven numbers?"

"I don't know how they do it. Can we go to sleep?"

"Okay, I'm done."

Starscream's frame relaxed as he let out a long vent.

Wheeljack stayed up for half the night.

* * *

By the time their next public appearance came around, Starscream had gotten out a great deal of his frustration in the clawing room. When Mach-10 arrived to collect him, Wheeljack snuck Starscream away to "handle him himself," as he'd phrased it.

Really he consensually helped Starscream scratch away some of the rust spots and made sure he was sated before the public appearance by way of broken vases, paintings, and screaming into the void. The void being a closet.

Wheeljack opened the closet when Saracream seemed finished. Starscream stepped out, adjusting his cape and taking a deep vent.

"Good?" Wheeljack asked.

Starscream nodded. "Yes, much better." He opened his arms. "How do I look?"

"Great."

"Good enough for Captain Stick-Up-His-Aft?"

"I think."

"Probably not, then." Starscream sighed, dusting off the chain link part of his cape. This was the same cape he wore to their first ball together, with one layer of chain link and another with shards of bismuth. "But it will have to do." He turned his attention to Wheeljack, grabbed him under the chin and turned his head from side to side. "Would it kill you to wash your face?"

"I just took a shower."

"It's not fair." Starscream released his chin. "That you get to look like that and I have to look like this."

"I don't have the same type of stuff you do."

"Once we're done with this, we're taking you shopping. If I have to suffer through getting all dolled up then so do you."

Wheeljack shrugged. "Okay. I've never had to doll up for anything."

Starscream held out his hand. "Come on."

Wheeljack led Starscream out to the sitting room where Mach-10 was impatiently waiting.

"Finally," he stormed forward and grabbed Starscream by the chin. "Starscream, you look-" he paused. Took a step back and cleared his throat. "Well you look- presentable. Come now, the transport has been waiting."

Mach-10 sat in the front of the transport, giving Wheeljack and Starscream some privacy in the back.

Starscream took a deep vent. “I hate to be sentimental, but-” he huffed. “I think this is good. What the states are doing.”

Wheeljack leaned against the door so he could get a good look at Starscream. “Did you-? Did you just say something positive?”

Starscream rolled his eyes. “Don’t misunderstand. I still hate this.”

Wheeljack sat correctly in his seat. “Yeah, I’m still with ya there.”

They drove into Decepticon territory. As they got further into Tarn, the crowds got bigger. At the entrance to the hospital, there were cars and people and cameras.

So many cameras.

Starscream and Wheeljack exited the transport hand-in-hand. They smiled and waved at the cameras. With a posse of people, Mach-1, Mach-10, a select group of reporters, PR people, Ratchet, and another mech Starscream didn’t recognize, they approached the new build. The building was seven stories high with white walls tattooed with crystal flowers, covered in clean windows with little heads pressed against them.

At the top of the stairs Wheeljack and Starscream stopped, turned halfway around, then went inside.

The walls were painted the same way they were outside. An art piece hung from the ceiling, letting the sun from the skylight sparkle across the crystals. Starscream and Wheeljack were whisked past the front desk and right into the first ward. Sparklings of various ages were playing in a little room with colorful circles painted on the floor, and pictures of animals on the walls.

Starscream kept the sneer off his face. He replaced it with a smile. When a sparkling ran up to him with a toy, he happily took it and started to play. Even conversing with some of the more talkative little ones.

Wheeljack did the same, but stayed by Starscream’s side.

They soon moved on to individual room visits where they presented small gifts to the sparklings who were stuck in bed. The cameras caught Starscream spreading out his wings when a sparkling requested to see them.

That time Starscream really did smile. The sparkling giggled, his breath fogging up the plastic mask over his mouth. Starscream turned back around and fluttered his wings. The sparkling kicked his legs, wiggling in his bed, giggling at the bright, shiny wings.

They moved on to the next ward. The new ward.

Starscream gripped Wheeljack’s hand tighter as they passed through the double doors. Wheeljack read the sign as they passed under it.

“Seeker Ward.”

The world changed, with crystal flowers being replaced by Seeker wings and clouds. The floors were free of scuffs. At the front desk they met with the doctor. A Seeker, crimson and purple, a dark face and eyes. She nodded to the couple as they entered, and shook Wheeljack’s hand first.

“Wheeljack, we can’t thank you enough,” she said, cupping his hand in both of her own.

Wheeljack nodded. “It’s my pleasure.”

Starscream was acknowledged with a handshake and his name. The Seeker, Dr. Flarewing, stood with Starscream and Wheeljack beside her and spoke to the media live.

“We are gathered here today to celebrate the opening of the Seeker Ward in Megatronus’ New-Spark Hospital. This has been a much needed resource, and is a huge step towards Seeker and Grounder cooperation. Here we house young seekerlings with special and specific medical disorders, who would not otherwise get the care they need. We host some of the best doctors in their fields, even some from the Autobot state.” She nodded to Ratchet, standing behind the cameras. She turned her attention back to Starscream and Wheeljack. “I would like to thank Wheeljack and Starscream for their generous donation that made this addition possible.”

Starscream glanced at Wheeljack, his eyes going wide. Starscream quickly fixed his expression and replaced it with a smile.

Dr. Flarewing went on. “I would also like to thank Mach-1, Leader of the Seekers, for making this all possible.”

Starscream didn’t resist sneering. Wheeljack squeezed his hand. The sneer disappeared.

After the doctor’s speech, everyone went into the wing to visit with the little seekerlings. This ward was just like the last, but it was seeker exclusive.

Starscream sat in the playroom with the little seekerlings. Some of them were connected to IVs or other machines that they had to drag around with them. Starscream knelt down on the rug and let little seekers come to him and ask him questions.

The seekerlings were well behaved. Quiet. They did not touch or wiggle their wings, or stare off into the distance. They did not hand anyone toys, but kept the toys neatly in their lap when they were speaking.

There were a variety of seekerlings there. Sparklings with one wing, or no wings. Hands with few fingers, or faces no optics. Some of them had blotches on their body that looked like rust, others did not appear to have anything medically wrong with them on the surface, but they wore masks in common rooms.

“Seeker Starscream?” One of the little sparklings said, kneeling down in front of Starscream. “Who was your Mach?”

Starscream smiled. “Mine was Mach-10, little one.” He reached his hand out and took the sparkling’s hand. “Can you tell me who yours is?”

“Ma-Mach-8.”

“Aw. Does he visit you often?”

The sparkling nodded. “Uh-huh. He- he comes twice every other week.”

“Well that’s just wonderful, little one.”

The sparkling scooted forward. “Are you gonna have a sparkling?”

Starscream’s wing flicked. He nodded. “Yes, little one,” he looked at the camera staring back at him. “I am going to have a sparkling.”

“With a Grounder?”

Starscream forced a chuckle. “Yes, with my conjunx.”

The sparkling scooted closer. “Do you- do you know what Mach he’s gonna go to yet?”

“Heh, no little one. The Grounders don’t do that.” He glanced at the camera.

One of the PR people told them it was time to move on. Starscream said goodbye to the sparkling and left the room with Wheeljack and the rest of the posse. They visited almost every room. The sparklings seemed to get more excitement out of seeing Mach-1 than seeing Starscream. Though, they did find Wheeljack somewhat entertaining.

Mach-1 snarled at any grounder who tried to take a picture of one of the sparklings. Only the Seeker photographers and reporters were allowed to take any record of this visit.

Wheeljack watched Mach-1 interact with the sparklings. In the playroom he picked them up and held them in his arms as if they were his own. He treated every sparkling with the same care, never making any faces, not even at the ones born without wings. He was gentle and slow with the seekerlings who could not see him, and listened carefully, attentive, to the sparklings who could hardly speak. With the sparklings who spoke with their hands, he spoke back with his hands. To the sparklings confined to their rooms, he took their small hands into his own, and spoke so softly it was as if he were not speaking at all.

At the end of the visit, Starscream and Wheeljak returned to the transport, allowed their picture to be taken, and returned home without Mach-10.

Starscream didn’t say anything for the entire ride home. When they got there, he got out, stripped off of his cape, and sat down on the front steps of the house.

Wheeljack sat beside him.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Starscream muttered, staring at the hands over his knees.

“Tell ya what?”

“That you’d met Mach-1 before.”

Wheeljack’s finials blinked. He shook his head, pulling in a breath that he didn’t use. He sighed. “I didn’t think it was important.”

“You didn’t think it was important. You didn’t think mentioning that you had built a hospital for seekerlings, in Decepticon territory, signed off by Mach-1 himself, was important?”

Wheeljack shook his head. “What do you want me to say? This was months ago. Before he even knew who I was. I don’t even think he remembered until today. If he even remembered today.”

Starscream stood up. “You want me to communicate. So I’m communicating. From now on, tell me things. I want you to tell me things.” He started going up the stairs.

Wheeljack stood up. “I didn’t know how important he was to you.”

“He isn’t!” Starscream called over his shoulder.

Wheeljack skipped up the steps to catch up with him. “Then why do you keep acting like he is!”

Starscream whipped around. “I hate him,” he spat, keeping the scream in his throat. “I hate him with every ounce of my being. I have hated him for as long as I could hate anyone. He’s a stuck-up, weak-willed, big, sickly, old, fool. And he means nothing to me.”

“I don’t believe you.”

Starscream’s wings quivered. “I don’t care,” he spat through his teeth.

“Starscream,” Wheeljack pleaded. “Please. Just tell me. Tell me what keeps you angry.”

Starscream’s wings sprung all the way up. A pressure built behind his eyes, his limbs began to tremble. “He abandoned me.”

“What?”

“He abandoned me!” He screamed. “I was his only son! I was the only sparkling he ever took in, and I did so well for him! I did everything he asked! I went to every therapist he put me in front of! I was happy!” His frame clamped up. “But when he got sick he abandoned me. Left me in the hands of fragging Mach-10, who treated me like garbage! So I hate him! I hate him!” He screamed so loud his voice skipped and he began to cough. Tears streamed down his cheeks non-stop no matter how many times he wiped them away. “I hate him.” he croaked. “I hate him.”

Wheeljack’s mouth pulled into his cheek. He took one step up and grabbed Starscream’s hand. “Ya know. I think he cares a lot about you.”

Starscream pulled his hand away. “What do you know,” he spat. “And what do you care? He hates you. He hates all Grounders.”

Wheeljack shrugged. “I just think that, in a system of abuse, ya gotta pay attention to good people like him.”

Starscream huffed, his chest heaving up and down. “The system?” he said slowly. “Mach-1 created the system.” He sneered. “And it is not a system of abuse.” Before Wheeljack could respond, Starscream stormed to the house.

Wheeljack gave chase. “Hold on!” He called. “I met all those people. I’ve met Mach-10!”

“No, no,” Starscream made fists by his head. “You have it all wrong! Just like every grounder.”

“Then explain it to me.” Wheeljack caught up and grabbed Starscream by the wrist. “Please.”

Starscream stared at him.

Wheeljack swallowed the lump in his throat. “I want to understand.”

Starscream chewed his lip. He huffed. “Fine. I’ll get you a book on the subject.”

“Can’t you just-”

“I wouldn’t do a good job of explaining it.” He tugged his wrist out of Wheeljack’s grip. “You have to hear it from Mach-1 himself. You wouldn’t understand, otherwise.”

Wheeljack nodded. “Okay. I believe you.”

They stood there for a moment.

“I should make dinner,” Starscream said. “And-” the words came out strained. “Apologize. For yelling.”

Wheeljack shrugged. “I didn’t think you were yellin’ at me.”

“It still should never be in your direction.” Starscream took a deep vent. “I’ll go to the clawing room after dinner.”

“Okay.”

Starscream made dinner, Wheeljack cleaned up. After dinner Wheeljack made himself a drink while Starscream tore up books page by page in the clawing room.

During their quiet time, Wheeljack got a call on his private phone. He took the call out into the hall, and returned a moment later with good news.

“Swindle got the stuff.”

Starscream paused where he was pulling out pages. “We got it?”

“All of it.”

Starscream tore the book in two and leaped to his feet. He wrapped his arms around Wheeljack, picked him up, and spun them around. Wheeljack chuckled, wrapping his arms around Starscream’s neck.

“Yes!” Starscream exclaimed. “We are out of here!”


	8. The Vial

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: A person who is not a doctor handing someone medication

Wheeljack stretched out on the berth. Blankets tangled in his legs, his hand met a warm empty spot beside him. Something grabbed him by the foot and shook.

“Come on, get up.” Starscream came around the berth and put a plate of food on the bedside table. “They’re arriving in less than an hour.”

Wheeljack groaned, stretching one more time before sitting up on his elbows. He took a long sip of energon before getting out of bed. “He hasn’t called me yet.”

“He said ten, so I’m sticking with ten.”

“You’re up.”

“Eat your breakfast.”

“Must be excited.”

Starscream picked up the plate and handed it to Wheeljack. “Eat your breakfast.”

Wheeljack did as he was told, following Starscream out of the toom as he did so. “You already eat?”

“No, I haven’t eaten anything.”

“You should-”

“My nerves. I’ve been riled up all morning.”

“Oh, did you go to the clawing room?”

“It didn’t help.”

“Maybe eating would.”

“I don’t think so.”

By the time they reached the kitchen, Wheeljack was done eating. He put his dish in the dishwasher. Starscream sat down in the dining room, holding his forehead in one hand. Wheeljack sat down next to him.

“Are you feeling okay?”

“No. I feel awful.”

“Awful how?”

“I don’t know. Anxious.”

“Oh…” Wheeljack tapped the table. “Anything I can do to help?”

“I don’t think so.”

“Okay. You can go back-”

“This just happens sometimes. Mach-10 used to lock me in my room until it passed. I’ll be fine.”

“You can go back to bed if you want. I can handle the delivery.”

“I don’t want to,” Starscream clenched his jaw. “But- thank you.”

Wheeljack shrugged. “No problem.” He pulled in a quick breath. “How about we do somethin’? Keep yer mind off things.”

“Like what?”

“I dunno. We could play chess or somethin’.”

Starscream nodded. “Sure,” he said slowly. “Let’s play chess.”

Starscream won all four games of chess. The game seemed to lighten his spirit some, he at least cracked a smile. His wings went down to normal height, his plating unclamped. After their games Wheeljack received the call they'd been waiting for.

Starscream sat on the couch picking at his talons. The tension from earlier all but gone. Wheeljack was standing in the corner talking on the phone when someone knocked on the door.

Starscream froze.

He turned his head to stare at the door, a winged figure moving behind the clouded window. It knocked again.

Starscream sprung to his feet and walked swiftly to the door.

Mach-10 strode right past him. "I need to speak with you."

Starscream followed him into the first sitting room.

"You could have called." Starscream said.

Mach-10 rolled his eyes. "Please, Starscream, I am not in the mood for your attitude today."

Wheeljack glanced over his shoulder, taking a double take. He spoke to the person on the phone. "Yeah. Yeah, that sounds good. Yeah, I'll see ya then. I'll talk ta ya. Bye." He turned around and stepped forward. "Mach-10. To what do we owe the pleasure."

Mach-10 stood with one hand on his hip, his wings high, one heel bouncing as he spoke. "I'm afraid I have to talk to my ward. If you'd give us a moment."

"A'course. Can I have a word with him first?"

Mach-10 began to roll his eyes but stopped himself. "Yes, but make it quick if you could."

Wheeljack took Starscream to the kitchen and spoke to him in a whisper. "What is he doing here?"

"I have no idea. He just showed up."

"Swindle is gonna be here any minute with our stuff."

"I know that."

"So what are you gonna do?"

Starscream shrugged. "I don't know, I'll keep him busy. Just make Swindle work quick."

"You can't make guys like this work quick. Okay? He's on his own schedule, our material is in his hands."

"Then I don't know what to tell you."

Wheeljack sighed. "Okay, just-" he huffed. "I need an hour."

"Then I'll give you an hour."

They returned to the sitting room where Mach-10 was still fidgeting. He forced a smile as Starscream stepped forward.

"Thank you, dear," he said to Wheeljack. "I shouldn't keep him too long. Would you mind closing the door on your way out."

Wheeljack took a deep vent. He pulled the double door shut as he left.

Alone, Mach-10's phony smile fell into a sneer. "Stupid grounder," he muttered. He turned his attention to Starscream. "Your performance at the hospital last week was abysmal. It's as if I never taught you how to smile."

"You didn't."

"Not for real, brat. I know I taught you how to look happy." Mach-10 sat on the couch across from Starscream's. "I didn't come here to ridicule you. I have something to give you." He pulled a small green bottle out of his subspace and placed it on the table between them.

"I was talking to Froid the other day about your moods. He wants you to start taking these."

Starscream picked up the bottle, filled to the top with little white pills. "I haven't talked to him," he said. "What are these?"

"They're for your mood. You'll take three a day in the morning."

"Why?"

"Because I said so. You're doing poorly, Starscream. These will make your life much easier."

“What about the sparkling?”

“Come now, Starscream, do you really think I’m stupid enough to give you medication that’s going to hurt the sparkling? What do you take me for?”

Starscream put the bottle back on the table. "I don't think Wheeljack will like this."

"I don't think I care. This isn't about Wheeljack, it's about you. It isn't as if he'll be along for much longer anyways, you got what we wanted.”

"Mach-10-"

"I've brought you something else." Mach-10 took a glass bottle out of his subspace and placed it beside the pills on the table. "Two drops, untraceable. It will look like a spark attack."

Starscream took the bottle and stared at the clear liquid within. "Will it hurt?"

Mach-10's head lulled to one side. "No, dear. It shouldn't hurt one bit." He waved his hand in the air. "He'll just slip away in his sleep." He stood up. "It's funny, Starscream, I could almost swear you'd come to like the grounder."

"He does treat me well."

Mach-10 threw his head back and laughed. "Oh Starscream," he flapped his hand. "Such a kidder." He sighed down from his laughter. "Anyways, I'm expecting a body soon. Don't disappoint me, dear."

"Never, Mach-10."

"That's what I like to hear."

Starscream checked his chrono. If Wheeljack was to be believed, he needed another half hour.

Mach-10 moved towards the door “Well, that’s all I’ve got for you. I should get going.”

Starscream sprung to his feet. “Do you want to do a check?” He asked. “For the house.”

Mach-10 twisted his lip. “Hmmm. I suppose I could. Though I can’t always be checking up on you like this, Starscream, I do have things to do.”

The house was not a mess, but Starscream knew that it wasn’t up to Mach-10’s standards. Starscream spent 20 minutes showing Mach-10 the best of the rooms. Libraries with no missing books, hallways with nothing but dust. Mach-10 walked with his hands behind his back, scrutinizing every little detail.

When they circled back to the front door, Mach-10 was wearing a scowl. “I’m disappointed,” he said, with less venom in his tone than usual. “Truly, Starscream, I thought I’d taught you better than this. Like I said, I can’t be around anymore, so I’ll say this for the last time. You need to learn how to control yourself, and better yet, keep your home and your husband.”

Starscream nodded. “Yes, Mach-10.”

“There is little more I can say on the matter.”

“I know, Mach-10.”

“The next time I visit, I expect better.”

“It will be, Mach-10.”

“I should be going.”

“Can I get you a drink before you go?”

“No no, I’ve been here long enough. Eleven is waiting for me at home, I left him with the triplets.”

“Mach-10.”

“What is it, Starscream?”

“Uhh-”

Footsteps jogged up behind him.

“Mach-10,” Wheeljack said, out of breath. “I’m glad I caught you. Wanted to say a proper goodbye.”

“Of course, dear,” Mach-10 said, putting on his smile. “I’ll be going.”

Wheeljack closed the door behind him. As soon as he was gone, Wheeljack let out a vent. “Okay, it’s done.”

“It’s all away?”

“It’s all away.”

“Good.”

“You feelin’ better?”

Starscream raised a brow. “After a visit from Mach-10? Are you kidding?”

“Right right. Stupid question. What did he want?”

Starscream’s wing flicked. “Nothing. He just wanted to tell me how poorly I behaved at the hospital the other day.”

Wheeljack rolled his eyes. “Geez,” he walked past Starscream. “Don’t he have twenty other kids to worry about?”

Starscream skipped into step, racing past Wheeljack. “Yes. It might be more than twenty.” He walked swiftly into the sitting room and snatched the green bottle off the table before Wheeljack came in.

He whipped around and held the bottle behind his back.

“What do you want for dinner tonight?” Wheeljack asked.

Starscream shrugged. “I don’t care. Whatever.”

“I was thinkin gold nuggets and copper pasta. Sound good?”

“Sounds great.”

“You do seem a lot better compared to earlier.”

“I feel better,” Starscream squeezed the bottle in his hand. “Less on edge.”

“Hey, we should do that thing today.”

“Which thing?”

“That thing you said we’d do last week, which we didn’t end up doing, because you were mad at me.” Wheeljack took a few steps forward so they stood right in front of each other, less than a foot away.

Starscream furrowed his brow.

“With the capes,” Wheeljack said. He turned on a heel and started walking in the opposite direction. Starscream quickly tucked the bottle in his subspace, just as soon as Wheeljack turned back around.

“I specifically remember you saying that I needed to get some capes and make-up and stuff, so that I would have to suffer through getting dolled up like you do.”

“I didn’t think you’d actually want to do that.”

“What else is there to do?”

Starscream put his hands on his hips. “Build the ship.”

Wheeljack flapped his hand. “No. I been starin’ at that stuff all week.”

“We just got the material.”

“Exactly. Big step. All the more reason to take a break.”

Starscream shrugged. “Fine. We can do that.” He strode forward. “But whose state are we going to?”

Wheeljack itched at his finial. “Uhh- Autobot?”

“Wrong answer.”

“We can’t go to the Decepticon state.”

Starscream crossed his arms. “Why not?”

“You don’t even like them.”

“What, as if I like the Autobots more? Don’t make me puke. The Decepticons are a lot more tolerant of the both of us.”

“How do you know?”

“You’ve built infrastructure for both sides.”

“Hey, goin’ over there to have those meetings is the most terrifying thing I ever did.”

“Even more terrifying than marrying me?” Starscream smirked.

Wheeljack’s finials blinked. “It’s a close second.”

Starscream’s smirk grew into a smile. He started to laugh, he shoving Wheeljack playfully in the shoulder. “I wasn’t that bad.” The smile dropped off Starscream’s face the moment the words came out. He was suddenly all-too aware of the vial sitting in his subspace.

“Not that bad? You know how much you glared at me for the first month? I was afraid you were gonna kill me in my sleep.”

Starscream’s spark sank to his tanks. He shoved his conjunx by the shoulder again. “You still slept in the same bed as me,” he said, struggling to keep the smile on his lips.

“So, are we goin’ or not?”

“We can go. We can go wherever you want.”

“We can go to Decepticon territory, I don’t mind too much.”

“No. I want to go where you want to.”

Wheeljack paused. He nodded. “Okay,” his eyes roamed Starscream’s body, going from wings to face to hands.

“What?” Starscream asked.

“Nothing. We should go.”

“Do you have a place in mind?”

“Yeah. Had to meet a client there once.”

Starscream raised a brow. “And it’s the type of place you want to go back to?”

“I don’t hate all my clients.”

Starscream cracked a real smile. He followed Wheeljack to Autobot territory, a city called Praxus. A tech hub, as Wheeljack described during the drive. High in tech, fashion, architecture, but not politics. So when Starscream touched down on the sidewalk, he got more sneers than starry eyed gazes.

Wheeljak flipped into his bipedal mode and took Starscream’s hand. “It’s right down here.” Wheeljack said.

Starscream didn’t have to endure the sidewalk-goers for long. The boutique had bright lights and white walls, capes, cloaks, jewelry, paint, stencils, and everything else in between.

“You met a client here?” Starscream said.

“We discussed business while he looked at himself in the mirror.” Wheeljack stepped further into the shop. “Also I don’t like him. But he has good style.”

Starscream scoffed. “According to you.”

Wheeljack approached the bot at the counter. “Excuse me.”

The black and white bot looked up from his work. His mouth fell open. “Oh,” he came around the desk. “Wheeljack. Oh my goodness. H-how may I help you?”

“I’m in the market for a few new cloaks.” Wheeljack glanced at Starscream before addressing the salesperson again. “And some paint. And-” one more glance to Starscream. “Jewelry?” Wheeljack smiled. “Just give me the whole nine yards.”

“Wonderful.” The salesperson scurried to the door and put up the closed sign. He turned back around with a smile on his face. “Let’s start with the cloak. I find it’s the foundation of a good look. Do you have any color preferences?”

Starscream piped up. “Red,” he stepped forward and put his hand on Wheeljack’s shoulder, wearing a wide smile. “He looks good in red.”

The salesperson nodded. “We’ll find him something red.”

Starscream sat down on one of the circular chairs and watched Wheeljack get fitted for different cloaks. The entire time, Starscream was smiling. Wheeljack would give him a twirl, hold the fabric up dramatically on his arm. He put on capes with sparkles, metal capes, capes that came in two layers like Starscream’s bismuth cape.

Wheeljack gave Starscream a twirl, wearing a night-blue, nearly opaque cape with sparkles. Starscream stood up. He grabbed the organic fabric in his hand and felt it against his palm. “I love it.”

“On me or on you?”

“On you, I think it’s beautiful.”

Wheeljack smiled so wide his mask slipped off. Just as quickly, the smile was gone and the mask back in place. He turned away. “I like it too,” he looked at himself in the mirror. “And a couple others.”

The other ones Wheeljack had liked were hanging on a seperate rack. The salesperson stepped forward. “Shall we build your wardrobe around these?”

Wheeljack nodded. “Yeah. That sounds good.”

Starscream didn’t wear jewelry, not often. So when the time came to pick out the accessories, Starscream didn’t know what he was looking at. He had an idea, but when it came to getting all dolled up, capes and paint was where his expertise ended.

Still, he observed and picked a few things out while Wheeljack looked over the recommended jewelry. While browsing the display cases, Starscream found a particularly attractive pair of cuffs. While Wheeljack was trying on a neck piece, Starscream called the salesperson over.

“Oh, an excellent selection,” the salesperson said quietly.

“I think he’ll like them.”

The salesperson took the cuffs out and walked them over to Wheeljack.

Wheeljack slipped the cuffs on and inspected them. The metal was silver, the ornament night-blue with silver sparkles, cut in the shape of a flame. Starscream leaned against the display case and watched the reaction.

“Your husband picked them out,” the salesperson said.

“I like them,” Wheeljack said. “You can wrap them up with the cape.”

“Of course, sir.”

Wheeljack spent another hour looking at jewelry, paint and stencils. Starscream picked out some face paint, no stencils. They left with five cloaks, and all of the appropriate accessories. The boutique reopened after they left. On the street, Starscream helped Wheeljack pack up the bags.

“You know what feels good?” Starscream asked, patting Wheeljack’s roof.

“What?”

“Not being surrounded.”

“By?”

“Anyone.”

“Praxus isn’t too big.”

Starscream leaped into the air and took off. Wheeljack followed.

At the house, Starscream took great pleasure in designating a spot in his closet to Wheeljack’s new wardrobe. Starscream smiled, his yes sparkling as he ran his hand down the night-blue cape.

“You really did look beautiful in this one.” He said. “You should wear it to our next event.”

Wheeljack took a few steps forward. “You really seem to like it.”

“Blue isn’t my color. It goes with red, but it isn’t my color. But you, blue, green, red and white, I think it makes for a fine combination.”

Wheeljack took the fabric out of his hand. “You seem to be in a really good mood today.”

Starscream dropped the smile. “Maybe I am.”

“In a good mood?”

“Yes. I can’t remember the last time I felt like this.”

“I’m happy to hear it.”

“Probably a lot better than living with an angry, erratic seeker.”

Wheeljack shook his head. “No. I wouldn’t call you that.” He shrugged. “Honestly, I think you got every right to be angry.”

“That’s a new one.”

“I’m serious. Everything you told me, everything the Seekers have gone through. Then yer forced to marry a grounder, I mean come on. I’d be angry.”

“But you aren’t.”

“Oh, I’m plenty angry.” Wheeljack sat down on the bench in the center of the room. “But we already had this conversation.”

Starscream sat down next to him. “I guess.”

“I think it’s nice. Talkin’.”

“This is going to sound horrible.”

“Oh no.”

“But yelling at you, the few times I’ve truly yelled at you. It felt good.”

“Oh, that’s, uh.” Wheeljack frowned. “I don’t know how I’m supposed to take that.”

“For most of my life I was told to sit down and be quiet, and not argue, and act proper. I didn’t have any right to yell at Mach-10, or Mach-10’s wards, or any of the other Machs.” He took a deep vent. “But when I got here, everything, everything I’d ever held in, just spilled out. I was allowed to be angry at you. So I was. To an excessive degree.” He swallowed the lump in his throat. “You didn’t deserve that. You’re a decent mech, so I’m sorry.”

Wheeljack half smiled. “Well, I appreciate that.”

Starscream pulled his lips between his teeth. He put on a smile, took Wheeljack’s hand into his own and gave the back of it a pat. “You’re a good mech. Truly. A good mech.”

Wheeljack furrowed his brow. “Uhhhh, thanks,” he said slowly, pulling his hand out of Starscream’s. “Are you feeling okay?”

Starscream’s tank did a flip. “I’m just hungry.”

“Oh. I should make dinner then.”  
‘  
“If you could.”

Wheeljack made dinner, Starscream cleaned up. They settled down in the clawing room where Starscream was especially ferocious on the walls. He dug his claws in and dragged them through the wood and wallpaper, a dozen times in the same spot until there was a hole in the wall.

Wheeljack looked up from his book when the wall cracked away. “Nice hole.”

“Thank you.” Starscream turned around, his wings high on his back. “I’m getting tired, want to turn in?”

“Yeah, let me just finish this chapter.”

Starscream sauntered over. He placed his finger in the center of the page. “What are you reading.”

Wheeljack brushed his hand off. “History book.”

“On?”

“The war.”

“Which one?”

Wheeljack closed the book. “Seeker and grounder.”

Starscream cocked a brow. “Really?”

“Yeah. Like I said, I wanted to understand.”

“Reading that book won’t help you understand why Mach-1 created his system.”

Wheeljack replaced the book on his chair. “No. But it’ll help me understand exactly why our people hate each other so much.”

“I could tell you that. It’s not anything new or old.”

Wheeljack furrowed his brow, flicking off the light on his way out. “That didn’t make any sense.”

“The reason the Seekers hate the grounders is still happening today, despite the media cover-up, and it started happening millions of years ago. It’s not new, but it’s not old.”

“Hm.”

“Take your mayor, for example.”

“Overlord?”

“Overlord. If he has Seeker slaves, then he’s just like any other million year old grounder. That’s part of the reason it was such a big deal Mach-1 allowed the seekerlings to go to a hospital on the mainland. It is a lot easier to steal seekerlings from grounders than it is to steal them from seekers.”

“I can imagine.”

“Have you seen Mach-1’s claws? They can tear through three foot thick armour like it’s paper.”

Starscream drew his claws. He stopped short, turned around, and placed his flat hand in the middle of Wheeljack’s chest. “Mine aren’t quite as deadly.” Under his palm, Starscream could feel his Conjunx’s spark beat. He pulled his hand away. “But they are still deadly,” he whispered to himself.

“Starscream?”

“I’m going to get myself a cube before bed. Do you want one?”

“Sure.”

“I’ll meet you in the bedroom.”

Starscream made his way down to the kitchen in the poorly lit house. The only light came from the occasional lingering lamp. Starscream made two cubes, ignoring the weight in his chest and the shudder in his wings. He placed the cubes on the counter, and took the glass vial out of his subspace.

The tremble returned to his hands. The tremble he thought he’d doused in the wall. He held both hands in a fist around the vial, forcing them to stop moving. Forcing the spark pumping in his head to quiet down. His arms began to tremble, his wings, his knees. A vent jumped out of his mouth, he squeezed his eyes shut.

_“You got what we wanted.”_

For a split second, one hand fell to his middle. Heavy vents, heaving in and out, he took the vial out of his fist, and pulled off the top.

_“It shouldn't hurt one bit.”_

He tipped the bottle over one of the cubes of energon. A drop formed on the edge of the glass.

_“Don't disappoint me, dear."_

Starscream plugged the hole with his thumb.

The clear liquid washed down the drain, the energon following soon after.

Starscream’s vents became erratic. He quickly wiped his cheek with his hand, watching the poison disappear.

When his vents calmed he made two cubes and returned to the bedroom.

Wheeljack was sitting on the bed, reading a different book.

Starscream swallowed before he could speak. “You’re always reading.” His jaw clenched when he heard the tremble in his voice.

Wheeljack put his book down on the bedside table. “What can I say? It used to be my only passtime.”

Starscream handed Wheeljack the cube. Wheeljack took the cube, but captured Starscream’s hand along with it.

“You’re shaking,” Wheeljack said. “Everything okay?”

Starscream pulled his hand away. “I’m fine,” he snapped. “Just- late night jitters. I haven’t eaten enough today.” He downed the cube in one swig and sat down on the bed.

Wheeljack placed his half empty cube on the bedside table. “Do you want to be held tonight?”

“Yes,” Starscream’s voice cracked. He cleared his throat. “Yes. Yes.”

“Okay,” Wheeljack finished his cube. He patted Starscream on the thigh and started to lay down.

Starscream turned out the lamp beside the bed. He chewed his lip and he climbed under the covers. In the dark, he found Wheeljack’s hand, his arm, his waist, and pulled them together, hooking one leg over Wheeljack’s knees so hardly an inch of them was apart.

Starscream hugged Wheeljack’s head to his chest.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Wheeljack whispered.

Starscream nodded. “Yes,” he vented, squeezing tighter. “I’m okay now.”


End file.
